INGOLOR 


EDITED  BY  .  .  .  .  . 
R.  HOOPER  PEARSON 
MANAGING  EDITOR 
OF  THE  GARDENERS' 

CHRONICLE . 


PLATE   I   (Frontispiece} 
CACTUS   DAHLIA—MRS.   RANDLE 


395330 


,  \).M.H 

National? 
aL  Society 


NEW  YORK 
FREDERICK  A.  STOKES  CO. 


PREFACE 

THE  known  history  of  the  Dahlia  covers  a  considerable 
period,  and  teems  with  interest  to  those  who  are  concerned 
with  plant  development.  One  hundred  and  ten  years  ago 
one  of  the  forms  of  Dahlia  variabilis  flowered  for  the 
first  time  in  this  country,  and  now  the  descendants  of  this 
Mexican  species  are  so  numerous  and  diverse  as  to  render 
it  difficult  to  realise  that  they  have  descended  from  the 
species  that  bloomed  in  Eraser's  nursery  in  1802.  The 
fact  illustrates  in  a  remarkable  degree  the  amount  of  varia- 
tion that  is  sometimes  to  be  found  in  a  single  species. 

To  those  who  fully  appreciate  the  garden  value  of  the 
Dahlia  it  is  a  matter  of  satisfaction  to  know  that  once  more 
the  flower  appears  to  be  attaining  the  high  degree  of  popu- 
larity it  so  well  merits.  The  increased  appreciation  on  the 
part  of  the  public  is  due  to  the  raisers  of  the  present  day 
having  broken  so  far  away  from  the  traditions  of  the  past 
that  they  have  directed  some  portion  of  their  energy  to 
the  production  of  varieties  specially  adapted  for  beautifying 
the  garden.  The  Dahlia  has  considerable  value  for  the 
late  summer  exhibitions,  but  it  is  not  comparable  with  its 
usefulness  for  the  adornment  of  the  garden.  The  flower  is 
equally  suitable  for  the  gardens  of  the  stately  mansions  and 
the  smaller  plot  that  surround  the  humbler  cottages. 

Recognising  to  the  full  the  importance  of  the  Dahlia 

vii 


viii  PREFACE 

in  the  garden,  an  endeavour  has  been  made  to  give  special 
prominence  in  this  volume  to  what  may  be  regarded  as 
the  garden  aspects  of  the  flower,  and  to  the  details  by 
which  the  many  distinct  and  beautiful  forms  may  be  fully 
utilised  in  the  production  of  delightful  colour  effects  and 
abundant  supplies  of  flowers  for  beautifying  the  home. 

I  have  to  thank  Messrs.  J.  Cheal  &  Son,  Mr.  ].  B.  Riding, 
Messrs.  }.  Stredwick  &  Son,  and  Mr.  C.  Turner,  for  so 
kindly  contributing  the  flowers  photographed  by  Mr. 
Waltham  for  illustrating  this  volume. 

GEORGE  GORDON. 


CONTENTS 


CHAP. 


PACK 


I.  INTRODUCTION    ...  . 

II.  DAHLIA  HISTORY  7 

III.  SHOW  AND  FANCY  DAHLIAS        .  .         .        „       18 

IV.  CACTUS  DAHLIAS ,29 

V.  SINGLE  DAHLIAS 39 

VI.  POMPON  OR  BOUQUET  VARIETIES       ....       48 

VII.    P^EONY-FLOWERED    DAHLIAS  .  .  .  •  -53 

VIII.  DECORATIVE  DAHLIAS 60 

IX.    COLLERETTE    DAHLIAS 66 

X.  METHODS  OF  PROPAGATION  .  .  .  »  .  70 

XI.  CULTIVATION       .        .        »  T  *  •  •  •  82 

XII.  SHOWS  AND  SHOWING         .  ,'  .  .  «  .  104 

XIII.  INSECT  ENEMIES        V      *  «  •  '  •  •  i10 

INDEX        ....        «        .        .        .        .113 


LIST    OF    ILLUSTRATIONS 


PLATE 


un  *  o>  _  m         , 

I.  CACTUS  DAHLIA—MRS.  RANDLE         .        .         Frontispiece 


PAGE 


II.  FANCY  DAHLIA— MRS.  SAUNDERS       .  .14 

III.  CACTUS  DAHLIA— CONQUEROR   ...  .26 

IV.  POMPON  CACTUS  DAHLIAS— MODESTY,  GOLDFINCH    .      42 

V.  SINGLE      DAHLIAS— MRS.      JOYNSON     HICKS      AND 

CARDINAL      .         .  •  56 

VI.  POMPON     DAHLIAS— IDEAL,     NELLIE      BROOMHEAD, 

AND  EDITH  BRYANT       .        .        •  •'       •       74 

VII.  PJEONY-FLOWERED  DAHLIA — THE  GEISHA  .  *      90 

VIII.    COLLERETTE   DAHLIA— GALLIA    .        '    ,  .  .  .       IOO 


DAHLIAS 

CHAPTER   I 
INTRODUCTION 

THE  Dahlia  differs  in  some  respects  from  many  of  the 
flowers  on  which  the  florists  of  this  country  have  lavished 
care  and  skill.  It  is  similar  to  most  of  them  in  having 
been  brought  to  so  high  a  state  of  development  as  to  en- 
able it  to  contribute  to  the  attractions  of  the  garden  and 
to  bring  honours  to  cultivators  at  the  exhibitions ;  but, 
unlike  some  other  flowers,  it  has  not  succeeded  in  evoking 
a  degree  of  enthusiasm  proportionate  to  its  merits.  The 
Dahlia  does  not  appear  to  have  appealed  very  strongly  to 
the  poets,  and  the  literature  of  the  flower  has  suffered  some- 
what from  the  fact  that  writers  have  in  the  past  overlooked 
its  historical  aspect,  confining  their  attention  almost  ex- 
clusively to  cultural  details.  Such  practical  information  is 
certainly  of  greater  value  than  any  other,  but  it  should  not 
be  regarded  as  all  that  the  cultivator  needs  to  know.  Those 
who  would  achieve  success  either  in  the  creation  of  tasteful 
effects  in  the  garden  or  the  production  of  exhibition  blooms 
must  acquire  a  knowledge  of  the  cultural  details,  but  their 
interest  in  the  flower  will  be  all  the  greater  if  they  study 

A 


2        PRESENT-DAY    GARDENING 

its  history  and  learn  how  great  and  varied  have  been  the 
changes  it  has  undergone  during  its  cultivation  in  European 
gardens.  Not  only  is  the  interest  increased,  but  the  pleasure 
to  be  derived  from  the  cultivation  of  the  plants  is  greatly 
enhanced ;  moreover,  valuable  lessons  may  be  obtained 
from  the  record  of  work  of  past  generations  of  growers 
and  raisers. 

With  respect  to  the  popularity  of  the  Dahlia,  attention 
may  with  advantage  be  directed  to  the  fact  that  there  has 
always  been  a  remarkable  steadiness  about  the  fame  of  this 
flower.  Its  cultivators  are,  it  may  be  assumed,  enthusiastic, 
but  their  enthusiasm  is  of  a  quiet  kind,  and  not,  as  in  the 
case  of  that  of  some  other  flowers,  bubbling  over  and  giving 
rise  to  the  feeling  that  it  will  soon  exhaust  itself.  In  taking 
a  retrospective  glance  over  the  hundred  and  odd  years  that 
have  elapsed  since  the  Dahlia  was  introduced  from  its 
Mexican  home  to  this  country,  it  becomes  evident  that,  quiet 
though  it  may  have  been,  enthusiasm  as  well  as  strenuous 
endeavour  must  have  been  forthcoming  at  an  early  period 
in  the  history  of  the  Dahlia  as  a  cultivated  flower.  The 
creation  of  the  varied  and  beautiful  types  that  are  now  to 
be  seen  in  gardens  could  not  well  have  been  effected  with- 
out something  more  than  the  carrying  out,  in  a  more  or 
less  mechanical  manner,  of  the  technical  details  essential  to 
success.  That  something  must  have  been  enthusiasm,  for 
without  it  there  could  not  have  been  that  constancy  of  pur- 
pose, extending  over  a  comparatively  long  period,  which  is 
an  example  to  all  who  are  engaged  in  plant  improvement. 

Even  to  those  who  are  constantly  in  touch  with  the 
activities  of  the  florists  of  the  present  day,  and  therefore 
conversant  with  what  is  being  accomplished  in  the  world 


CACTUS    VARIETIES  3 

of  flowers,  it  appears  a  marvellous  accomplishment  to  have 
evolved  the  noble  show  flower,  the  graceful  cactus  variety, 
and  the  diminutive  pompon,  with  numerous  other  types, 
from  the  same  wild  species.  In  order  to  avoid  any  mis- 
apprehension upon  this  point  it  may  be  well  to  state  here 
that  Dahlia  Yuarezii,  from  which  the  race  of  cactus  varieties 
has  descended,  was  a  cultivated  plant  in  Mexican  gardens 
previous  to  its  introduction  into  Europe,  and  it  had  under- 
gone considerable  modification  before  it  left  its  native 
country.  This  fact  notwithstanding,  there  is  full  justifica- 
tion for  a  strong  sense  of  gratitude  for  what  the  raisers, 
both  past  and  present,  have  accomplished  in  the  enrich- 
ment of  our  gardens  with  flowers  so  distinct  in  character 
and  possessing  so  much  beauty  as  the  cactus  Dahlias.  The 
earlier  raisers  may  be  regarded  as  unwise  in  endeavouring  to 
mould  the  flowers  of  all  Dahlias  on  similar  lines,  and  these 
characterised  by  great  formality.  It  would  have  been  a 
great  advantage  had  the  desirability  of  a  diversity  of  form 
been  recognised  at  an  earlier  period  than  was  the  case  ;  but 
it  should  be  remembered  that  raisers  have  for  business 
purposes  to  produce  that  for  which  there  is  a  ready  sale. 
Long  after  the  Dahlia  had  made  its  home  in  this  country  the 
demand  was  for  finely  formed  flowers.  Endeavours  were 
made  to  meet  this,  and  the  result  is  seen  in  the  show 
and  fancy  varieties. 

Coming  down  to  recent  times,  much  the  same  thing  has 
occurred  with  the  cactus  Dahlia.  Until  quite  recently  the 
demand  was  almost  exclusively  for  varieties  bearing  blooms 
large  in  size,  pleasing  in  colour,  and  with  gracefully  arranged 
florets,  and  the  raisers  concentrated  their  efforts  on  the 
creation  of  varieties  that  met  the  requirements  of  pur- 


4       PRESENT-DAY    GARDENING 

chasers.  If  a  considerable  proportion  of  the  cactus  Dahlias 
bearing  blooms  of  high  quality  were  of  but  little  use  for 
contributing  to  the  attractions  of  the  garden,  some  portion 
of  the  responsibility  must  be  assigned  to  the  cultivators. 
Those  who  admired  the  graceful  cactus-like  blooms  did 
exactly  what  the  lovers  of  roses  had  done  before  them  : 
they  based  their  estimate  of  the  merits  of  varieties  upon  the 
individual  blooms  as  presented  to  them  at  the  public  ex- 
hibitions. In  adding  plants  to  their  collections,  whether  for 
garden  decoration  or  exhibition,  they  made  their  selections 
from  the  prize  stands,  and  in  the  earlier  days  of  the  cactus 
Dahlia  the  varieties  bearing  flowers  in  the  highest  state  of 
development  had  a  very  robust  habit,  consequently  those 
who  purchased  cactus  Dahlias  for  the  garden  found  that 
instead  of  brilliant  displays  of  colour  they  had  masses  of 
foliage  among  which  the  flowers  were  hidden.  In  some 
cases  the  luxuriance  of  growth  was  increased  by  the  use  of 
manures  in  the  preparation  of  the  soil  far  beyond  the  re- 
quirements of  the  plants. 

Happily  for  the  future  of  the  Dahlia,  both  cultivators  and 
raisers  now  recognise  the  importance  of  differentiating  be- 
tween the  varieties  for  exhibition  purposes  and  for  garden 
decoration,  and  also  between  the  methods  of  culture  best 
adapted  for  the  respective  purposes.  In  the  case  of  ex- 
hibition Dahlias  individual  blooms  of  the  highest  quality 
in  their  respective  sections,  as  denned  by  the  florists, 
are  essential,  and  the  varieties  may  be  selected  without 
reference  to  the  habit  or  freedom  of  flowering.  But  when, 
as  in  the  majority  of  cases,  they  are  intended  for  beautify- 
ing the  garden,  the  character  of  growth  and  flower  produc- 
tion should  have  the  first  consideration,  and  those  only 


MAKING    SELECTIONS  5 

selected  that  are  more  or  less  compact  in  growth,  free  in 
flowering,  and  that  bear  their  blooms  on  stalks  of  sufficient 
length  and  rigidity  to  carry  them  well  above  the  foliage.  This 
is  necessary  in  the  case  of  all  the  sections,  but  more  especially 
should  attention  be  given  to  these  points  in  making  selec- 
tions of  the  cactus  varieties.  Those  who  are  able  to  do  so 
should  make  visits  to  gardens  and  nurseries  where  repre- 
sentative collections  are  grown,  at  the  time  the  Dahlias  are 
in  bloom,  as  the  knowledge  thus  gained  will  be  of  much 
assistance  not  only  in  making  purchases,  but  in  arranging 
the  plants  in  the  garden.  Not  only  should  they  inspect  as 
many  collections  as  possible  but  also  follow  the  selections 
that  are  given  under  the  several  classes  in  this  work,  as  they 
have  been  prepared  from  notes  made  in  the  garden  and 
with  special  reference  to  the  purpose  for  which  they  are 
recommended.  It  will  also  be  found  of  very  considerable 
importance  to  act  upon  the  advice  given  with  regard  to 
adapting  the  cultural  details  to  the  object  in  view. 

With  reference  to  the  relative  merits  of  the  several 
classes,  it  will  suffice  to  say  that  this  is  a  point  which  may 
with  advantage  be  left  for  every  reader  to  determine  for 
himself.  Whether  this  or  that  section  should  be  regarded 
as  the  best  is  a  matter  of  taste.  If  the  garden  is  small  the 
sections  consisting  of  varieties  that  do  not  attain  a  large  size 
will  be  preferable,  as  they  will  admit  of  a  representative 
selection  being  grown  in  a  limited  space  :  for  a  somewhat 
similar  reason  the  giant  decorative  and  the  paeony-flowered 
varieties  are  not  so  suitable  for  gardens  of  medium  size  as 
for  those  having  a  large  area.  Whether  the  varieties  be- 
long to  the  cactus  or  show,  or  the  pompon  or  single  sections, 
is  not  a  matter  of  consequence,  provided  the  class  or 


6       PRESENT-DAY    GARDENING 

classes  be  in  accordance  with  the  taste  of  the  owner  of  .the 
garden.  The  only  advice  that  can  be  given  with  advantage 
on  this  subject  is  that  cultivators  should  avoid  placing  an 
undue  limit  upon  the  number  of  types  to  be  grown  in 
gardens  where  the  space  is  sufficient  for  all,  because  the 
greater  the  diversity  in  the  colours  and  forms  of  the  flowers 
the  more  lasting  will  be  the  interest  and  pleasure  obtained 
from  their  culture. 


CHAPTER   II 
DAHLIA   HISTORY 

ALTHOUGH  the  history  of  the  Dahlia  in  its  relation  to  the 
garden  does  not  extend  over  a  period  exceeding  123  years, 
it  is  necessary  to  go  back  nearly  three  centuries  in  quest  of 
the  first  description  and  illustrations  of  the  flower  :  whether 
the  search  might  with  profit  be  continued  to  a  more  remote 
period  is  doubtful.  There  is  no  evidence  to  justify  the 
belief  that  there  is  an  earlier  record  of  the  Dahlia  than  the 
one  given  by  Francisco  Hernandez,  physician  to  Philip  II 
of  Spain,  in  his  work  on  the  plants  and  animals  of  New 
Spain,  or  Mexico,  which  was  published  in  1615.  Her- 
nandez describes  the  flower  under  the  Mexican  name  of 
Acoctii,  and  the  account  is  of  much  interest  from  the  fact 
that  two  forms — D.  variabilis  and  D.  crocata — are  figured 
in  connection  therewith,  and  that  both  have  single  flowers. 
In  a  book  that  was  based  on  the  foregoing  and  published 
at  Rome  by  Vitalis  Mascardi  in  1651,  there  is  a  figure  of  a 
Dahlia  that,  owing  probably  to  indifferent  drawing,  leaves 
one  in  doubt  as  to  whether  the  flower  was  double  or  single. 
If  it  is  intended  to  represent  a  double  bloom,  there  is 
nothing  to  show  whether  the  doubling  had  been  effected 
under  natural  conditions  or  within  the  boundaries  of  the 
garden.  The  probability  is  that  the  flower  figured  was 
single,  and  there  is  no  other  ground  for  assuming  that  the 


8       PRESENT-DAY    GARDENING 

Dahlia  was  undergoing  modification  in  the  direction  of  an 
increase  in  the  number  of  florets  at  so  early  a  period. 

From  the  publication  of  Mascardi's  book  at  the  middle 
of  the  seventeenth  century,  nothing  further  relating  to  the 
Dahlia  was  published  until  1787,  and  the  reference  to  it  in 
a  treatise  which  appeared  in  that  year  was  for  the  benefit  of 
the  French  flower-lovers.  Nicholas  Thierry  de  Menonville 
was  commissioned  to  visit  South  America  for  the  purpose 
of  obtaining  the  cochineal  insect  and  the  plant  on  which 
it  lives,  and  he  appears  to  have  been  successful.  It 
is  evident  that  he  gave  attention  to  matters  others  than 
those  immediately  associated  with  the  object  of  his  journey, 
the  Dahlia  being  among  them.  In  1787  Menonville  pub- 
lished a  treatise  on  the  cochineal  insect  and  its  host  plant, 
and  in  this  he  described  the  Dahlias  that  had  come  under 
his  notice  in  a  garden  near  Guaxaca.  There  he  stated  that 
the  plants  attained  a  height  of  between  five  and  six  feet,  they 
had  leaves  similar  in  form  and  size  to  those  of  the  elder, 
and  aster-like  flowers  of  comparatively  large  size.  Menon- 
ville's  treatise  is  thus  of  interest  as  containing  the  first 
reference  to  the  Dahlia  as  a  cultivated  plant. 

In  the  year  1789  the  Dahlia  was  introduced  into 
this  country,  but  unfortunately  the  plants  that  were  first 
raised  failed  to  retain  their  vitality  in  the  conditions  to 
which  they  were  subjected.  In  the  course  of  that  year 
Vincentes  Cervantes,  director  of  the  Mexican  Botanic  Garden, 
sent  seeds  of  the  Dahlia  to  the  Abb6  Cavanilles,  director  of 
the  Royal  Gardens  at  Madrid.  At  that  time  the  Marquis 
of  Bute  was  the  English  Ambassador  at  the  Spanish  Court, 
and  the  Marchioness,  who  was  greatly  interested  in  flori- 
cultural  matters,  obtained  some  of  these  seeds  and  sent 


SUCCESSFUL    CULTIVATION       9 

them  home.  From  them  plants  were  raised  ;  but  owing  to 
their  having  teen  grown  in  a  greenhouse,  without  probably 
an  annual  rest,  it  was  not  found  possible  to  keep  them  alive 
more  than  two  or  three  years.  Nothing  further  was  seen 
of  the  Dahlia  in  this  country  until  1802,  when  John  Fraser, 
an  enterprising  nurseryman  carrying  on  business  in  Sloane 
Square,  obtained  from  Paris  some  seeds  of  Dahlia  coccinca, 
a  now  well-known,  single  form  with  rather  small,  brilliant 
scarlet  flowers  borne  on  long,  rigid  stems  of  a  deep  bronze- 
green  hue.  From  these  he  raised  plants  that  flowered  in 
one  of  his  greenhouses  in  the  following  year,  and  from 
one  of  the  blooms  a  coloured  plate  was  prepared  and 
published  in  the  Botanical  Magazine,  Tab.  762,  a  place 
being  thus  secured  for  the  Dahlia  in  the  botanical  literature 
of  this  country.  Ten  years  later  the  second  edition  of 
Aiton's  Hortus  Kewensis  was  published,  and  in  this  work 
two  reputed  species  and  three  varieties  were  included. 

Abbe  Cavanilles  would  appear  to  have  been  successful 
in  the  raising  and  cultivation  of  his  Dahlias.  One  of  the 
plants  raised  from  the  Mexican  seed  produced  semi-double 
flowers  in  1790,  and  in  January  of  the  following  year  was 
figured  in  his  Icones  et  Descriptiones  Plantarum,  the  publi- 
cation of  which  was  commenced  at  Madrid  in  1791,  as 
Dahlia  pinnata,  the  early  designation  of  the  species  now 
known  as  D.  variabilis.  Cavanilles  dedicated  the  plant  to 
M.  Andre  Dahl,  a  Swedish  botanist  of  distinction,  and  the 
author  of  a  work  on  the  Linnaean  system  published  in  1784. 
We  have  thus  evidence  that  the  doubling  of  the  Dahlia  in 
Europe  commenced  in  the  year  in  which  it  first  flowered 
in  Spain.  The  failures  to  grow  the  Dahlia  when  first 
introduced  to  this  country  and  France  were  due  to  culti- 


io     PRESENT-DAY    GARDENING 

valors  regarding  it  as  a  tropical  plant  requiring  much  heat, 
whereas  it  has  its  home  on  the  higher  plateaux  of  Mexico, 
and  thrives  in  comparatively  low  temperatures.  Humboldt 
and  Bonpland  in  their  famous  explorations  in  Mexico,  which 
commenced  in  1799,  found  Dahlias  growing  wild  in  a  prairie 
between  Areo  and  Patzcuaro  at  an  altitude  of  5000  feet 
above  the  sea  level. 

In  1804,  the  year  in  which  the  illustration  of  Dahlia 
coccinea  was  published  in  the  Botanical  Magazine,  a 
second  supply  of  seed  was  received  in  this  country  from 
Madrid.  This  was  sent  by  Lady  Holland  to  M.  Bounainte, 
librarian  to  Lord  Holland  at  Holland  House,  Kensington, 
and  he  was  successful  in  raising  the  three  varieties 
coccinea,  crocea,  and  purpurea.  They  all  bloomed  satis- 
factorily, and  were  figured  in  the  botanical  periodicals. 
At  that  period  the  light  and  elegant  single  flowers  which 
are  now  so  highly  appreciated  were  not  regarded  as  suffi- 
cient by  the  flower-loving  public,  and  no  sooner  had  the 
Dahlia  made  its  way  into  gardens  than  strenuous  en- 
deavours were  made  by  cultivators  to  obtain  varieties  with 
double  flowers.  During  the  first  ten  years  or  so  of  the 
nineteenth  century  the  Dahlia  made  its  way  into  several 
of  the  chief  countries  of  the  Continent  of  Europe,  and 
was  received  with  much  favour.  M.  Otto,  director  of 
the  Berlin  Botanic  Gardens,  cultivated  it  largely,  raised 
many  new  varieties  from  seed  obtained  as  the  result 
of  careful  cross-fertilisation,  and  effected  considerable  im- 
provements. Hartig,  the  garden  inspector  at  Karlsruhe, 
obtained  a  double  variety  that  attracted  much  attention 
from  growers.  From  Berlin  the  Dahlia  was  in  1812 
brought  by  Vogel  to  Erfurt,  and  by  Haage  to  Leipzig. 


FRENCH    VARIETIES  11 

Haage  raised  a  nearly  double  flower  that  created  much 
interest,  particularly  for  its  rich  purple  colour.  At  this 
period,  much  attention  was  given  to  the  cultivation  and 
improvement  of  Dahlias  in  France,  and  when,  in  1814, 
the  difficulties  connected  with  visiting  that  country  were 
removed,  Dahlia  fanciers  found  their  favourite  flower 
plentiful  in  French  gardens.  Many  French  varieties  were 
introduced  to  this  country,  where  they  were  received  with 
enthusiasm.  Two  of  the  leading  French  amateurs  were 
M.  Lelieur  of  Sevres  and  Comte  de  Vandes.  To  the  last- 
named  belongs  the  credit  of  having  sent  to  Dr.  John  Sims 
the  specimens  of  the  two  varieties  that  were  figured  in  the 
Botanical  Magazine  for  1817,  Tab.  1885  A  and  Tab.  18858. 
The  first  of  these  was  a  single  flower  of  considerable  size, 
fine  form,  and  a  brilliant  scarlet  hue ;  the  other  a  double 
flower  of  medium  size,  having  nearly  flat  and  somewhat 
reflexing  florets,  whilst  the  colour  was  bright  rose  shading 
to  light  rose  at  the  margin.  In  general  appearance  it  must 
have  resembled  some  of  the  old  decorative  varieties  that 
were  reintroduced  during  the  years  1870-80. 

By  this  time  the  Dahlia  had  become  established  in 
English  gardens,  and  it  rapidly  increased  in  popular  favour, 
whilst  the  increased  demand  for  novelties  induced  raisers 
to  work  with  even  greater  energy  to  provide  new  and 
improved  varieties.  Exhibitions  multiplied  in  all  parts  of 
the  United  Kingdom,  and  thousands  of  blooms  were  annually 
shown  during  the  period  when  the  Dahlia  was  at  the  zenith 
of  its  popularity  as  an  exhibition  flower,  this  period  extend- 
ing from  1820  to  1860.  The  flowers  that  found  favour 
with  growers  during  the  greater  part  of  this  period  showed 
much  diversity  in  form  and  colour,  and  were  similar  to  the 


12     PRESENT-DAY    GARDENING 

decorative  varieties  that  were  brought  into  prominence 
about  1870.  They  were  the  precursors  of  the  type  known 
as  the  show  Dahlia,  and  until  1830  the  blooms  were  smaller 
than  those  of  the  present  day,  and  many  of  them  had 
florets  that  were  long  and  pointed  and  more  or  less  cupped. 
After  the  next  twenty  years  rapid  progress  was  made  in 
the  development  of  the  Dahlia  along  the  lines  laid  down 
by  the  recognised  authorities.  The  florets  lost  their  points 
and  became  smooth  and  rounded,  and  so  regularly  arranged 
as  to  give  the  blooms  an  unbroken  outline,  which  the 
height  of  the  crown  and  the  refinement  of  the  flower 
materially  increased.  Concurrently  with  the  development 
of  the  show  Dahlias  the  fancy  varieties  were  evolved.  The 
difference  between  the  two  sections  is  merely  a  matter  of 
colour,  the  show  flowers  being  self  coloured  or  tipped 
with  a  darker  colour,  while  the  fancies  are  striped,  or  flaked, 
with  a  deeper  colour  on  a  light  ground,  or  tipped  with  a 
lighter  colour. 

During  the  period  from  1840  to  1860,  the  show  and 
fancy  Dahlias  were  supplemented  by  the  small-flowered 
varieties  variously  known  as  bouquet,  lilliputian,  and 
pompon  ;  the  last  name  being  now  generally  recognised. 
Their  origin  has  long  been  a  source  of  perplexity  to  those 
who  are  interested  in  the  historical  aspect  of  the  Dahlia, 
and  one  may  search  in  vain  for  direct  evidence  upon  this 
point.  There  is,  however,  no  doubt  that  they  were  of 
German  origin,  that  they  were  raised  in  the  district  of 
which  Koestritz  is  the  centre,  and  introduced  to  this  country 
in  the  middle  of  the  nineteenth  century. 

From  about  1860  the  popularity  of  the  Dahlia  declined 
at  a  rapid  rate,  and  during  the  next  ten  years  or  so  it  was 


PLATE  II 
FANCY   DAHLIA— MRS.   SAUNDERS 


RESTORATION    TO    FAVOUR     15 

under  a  cloud  that  gave  rise  to  considerable  apprehensions 
with  regard  to  its  future  in  the  minds  of  those  who  held  the 
flower  in  high  estimation.  Towards  the  end  of  this  decade 
the  cloud  was  lifted  by  the  resuscitation  of  the  brilliantly- 
coloured  Dahlia  coccinea,  which  nearly  seventy  years 
previously  had  flowered  in  Eraser's  nursery,  and  two  other 
single  varieties,  one  known  as  Lutea,  and  having  bright 
yellow  flowers,  and  the  other  as  Paragon  with  maroon- 
purple  flowers  margined  with  rose.  These  created  much 
interest,  and  as  the  result  of  the  well-directed  efforts  of 
raisers  large  numbers  of  beautiful  single  varieties  were 
distributed  to  cultivators. 

Of  still  greater  importance  in  relation  to  the  restoration 
of  the  Dahlia  in  popular  favour  was  the  introduction  of 
Dahlia  Yuarezii,  the  first  of  the  cactus  Dahlias  now  so 
highly  esteemed  by  flower  lovers.  This  created  much 
interest  when  first  presented  to  public  notice  at  one  of  the 
meetings  of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society  held  in  the 
autumn  of  1876,  by  the  late  Mr.  W.  H.  Cullingford.  This 
Dahlia  was  received  in  the  year  1872  by  M.  J.  T.  Van  der 
Berg  of  Juxphaar  near  Utrecht  from  a  friend  in  Mexico. 
The  case  in  which  it  was  sent  to  Holland  contained  various 
kinds  of  bulbs,  flower-roots,  and  seeds,  and  owing  to  the 
length  of  time  it  was  on  the  journey  the  contents  were 
received  in  an  indifferent  condition.  The  roots  that  were 
not  wholly  decayed  were  taken  care  of,  and  from  a  small 
tuber  a  growth  was  produced.  Several  plants  were  raised, 
and  during  the  following  summer  they  were  grown  with 
the  other  Dahlias  in  the  open  ground.  When  they  came 
into  flower  the  distinct  and  elegant  form  and  the  brilliant 
colour  of  the  blooms  at  once  attracted  attention ;  and 


16     PRESENT-DAY    GARDENING 

M.  Van  der  Berg,  who  had  sent  roots  to  a  French  firm  in 
the  autumn  of  1873,  distributed  it  in  1874,  having  pre- 
viously named  it  Yuarezii  in  honour  of  the  then  President 
of  Mexico. 

The  cactus  Dahlias  have  enjoyed  a  high  degree  of  popu- 
larity, and  there  is  every  anticipation  that  they  will  for  many 
years  hence  continue  to  increase  in  favour.  The  diversity 
in  the  form  and  colour  of  the  cactus  varieties  prepared  the 
flower-loving  public  for  the  new  race  of  paeony-flowered 
varieties,  remarkable  for  the  extravagant  form  and  attractive 
colours  of  their  flowers.  These  are  said  to  have  been  intro- 
duced to  this  country  in  1900,  but  it  was  not  until  the 
autumn  of  1905  that  they  were  shown  in  London  and  at 
several  of  the  continental  exhibitions  by  Messrs.  Copyn  and 
Sons,  by  whom  they  were  introduced  to  cultivation.  They 
originated  from  the  intercrossing  of  single  and  cactus 
varieties,  and  presumably  those  sorts  remarkable  for  their 
robust  habit  and  the  large  size  of  their  flowers. 

Yet  another  type  has  to  be  mentioned  in  this  brief  his- 
torical record,  and  that  is  the  one  known  as  the  "  collerette  " 
Dahlia.  Originally  introduced  to  cultivation  in  1901,  the 
collerette  varieties  received  but  little  attention  from  culti- 
vators in  this  country  until  the  season  of  1910,  notwith- 
standing their  usefulness  in  the  garden.  They  originated 
from  two  sports  that  made  their  appearance  simultaneously 
in  1899  on  different  plants  growing  in  the  municipal  gar- 
dens of  the  Pare  de  la  Tete  d'Or  at  Lyons.  In  due  course 
these  sports  were  fixed  and  propagated,  and  in  1901  they 
were  distributed  by  Messrs.  Rivoire  &  Son  of  Lyons  under 
the  names  of  President  Viger  and  Joseph  Goujou. 

With  reference  to  the  decorative  varieties  it  must  suffice 


DECORATIVE    VARIETIES         17 

to  say  that  they  connect  the  past  with  the  present,  and  that 
they  are  both  interesting  and  useful.  The  older  varieties, 
which  take  us  back  to  the  distant  past  when  the  show 
flower  was  in  the  process  of  development,  are  of  interest  as 
showing  the  type  of  flower  that  found  favour  before  the 
show  Dahlia  had  assumed  its  present  fame.  The  newer 
decorative  Dahlias  include  varieties  raised  in  this  country 
and  abroad,  and  they  have  been  introduced  to  cultivation 
from  time  to  time  during  the  past  quarter  of  a  century. 
These  latter  differ  materially  in  character  and  beauty  from 
the  older  varieties,  and  possess  much  greater  value  both  for 
exhibition  and  garden  decoration.  The  best  of  them  are 
included  in  the  selections  given  in  Chapter  VIII,  and  the 
lists  should  be  closely  followed. 


CHAPTER  III 
SHOW  AND   FANCY   DAHLIAS 

FOR  purposes  of  exhibition  Dahlias  have  been  arranged  in 
seven  classes  or  groups,  namely,  the  show  and  fancy,  cactus, 
single,  bouquet  or  pompon,  paeony-flowered,  collerette,  and 
decorative.  For  a  considerable  period  the  show  and  fancy 
varieties  were  divided  into  two  sections  and  shown  in 
distinct  classes  ;  but  they  resembled  each  other  so  closely 
that  the  National  Dahlia  Society  decided  to  break  down  the 
barrier  between  them  and  have  them  shown  together  in  the 
same  classes.  This  is  a  great  advantage,  more  especially  to 
the  smaller  growers,  because  many  of  the  fancies  originated 
as  sports  from  the  show  varieties,  and  now  and  again  they 
produce  self-coloured  flowers,  which  could  not  be  included 
in  a  collection  of  fancies,  but  may  be  shown  in  a  stand  of 
mixed  varieties. 

The  show  Dahlia,  as  it  is  technically  termed,  com- 
prises all  self-coloured  flowers,  all  shaded  flowers,  and  all 
flowers  that  have  a  pale  ground  colour,  whether  it  be 
blush,  primrose,  yellow  or  white,  tipped  with  crimson, 
mauve,  maroon,  purple  or  rose.  The  fancy  Dahlia  com- 
prises all  the  flowers  that  have  a  blush,  primrose,  rose  or 
yellow  ground  flaked  or  freckled  with  crimson — maroon 
and  scarlet  flowers  that  are  tipped  with  blush  white  or 
yellow,  and  yellow  flowers  tipped  with  white. 


THE    SHOW    DAHLIA  19 

In  briefly  tracing  the  development  of  the  show  Dahlia, 
the  oldest  and  historically  the  most  important  of  the  several 
classes  of  Dahlias  in  cultivation,  it  may  be  of  interest  to 
mention  that  during  the  first  ten  or  twelve  years  of  the 
nineteenth  century  much  attention  was  devoted  to  the 
cultivation  of  Dahlias  and  the  raising  of  new  varieties  by 
growers  in  various  parts  of  the  Continent  of  Europe. 
We  know  that  during  the  first  decade  Dahlias  had  become 
established  at  Erfurt,  Leipzig,  and  Louvain,  and  that  much 
progress  in  their  culture  had  been  made  in  France,  particu- 
larly in  the  neighbourhood  of  Paris,  and  that,  in  the  year 
1814,  both  German  and  French  growers  were  sending  to  this 
country  some  of  their  own  productions,  which  were  the  pre- 
cursors of  the  show  and  fancy  varieties.  To  M.  Donckelaar 
of  the  Louvain  Botanic  Garden  belongs  the  honour  of  having 
launched  the  Dahlia  on  the  tide  of  time  as  a  florists'  flower, 
and  thereby  provided  for  many  generations  of  flower-lovers 
an  immense  amount  of  interest  and  pleasure.  M.  Doncke- 
laar turned  his  attention  to  Dahlias  in  1812,  and  in  that  year 
raised  a  considerable  number  of  seedlings,  but  these  all 
produced  single  flowers.  He  continued  his  efforts  to 
obtain  new  forms,  and  in  1813  he  succeeded  in  raising 
several  varieties  with  semi-double  flowers.  This  success 
stimulated  him  to  further  endeavours,  and  in  1814  he  ob- 
tained varieties  with  flowers  that  were  quite  double,  and 
some  of  these  he  sent  to  this  country  during  the  winter 
of  1814-15.  They  at  once  attracted  attention,  and  as 
they  became  known  they  created  much  interest  among  the 
amateurs,  who  added  them  to  their  gardens  as  soon  as 
circumstances  would  permit,  and  in  many  cases  entered  into 
the  interesting  work  of  raising  seedlings.  Chief  among  the 


20      PRESENT-DAY    GARDENING 

cultivators  in  the  early  days  who  distinguished  themselves 
as  raisers  were  Mr.  J.  Wells  of  Redhill  and  Mr.  Douglas  of 
Putney  Hill,  the  former  being  the  first  to  raise  a  dwarf, 
double  Dahlia. 

Good  progress  must  have  been  made  in  the  next  few 
years,  for  in  1826  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society  had  in  its 
Chiswick  gardens  upwards  of  sixty  double  varieties.  The 
improvement  in  the  form  and  size  of  the  flowers  and  the 
development  of  the  varying  shades  of  colour  proceeded  with 
great  rapidity  until  1832,  when  a  great  advance  was  marked 
by  the  introduction  of  Springfield  Rival,  a  crimson  self  of 
quite  exceptional  merit.  During  the  next  few  years  the 
rate  at  which  new  varieties  were  introduced  was  very  great, 
for  the  Dahlia  Register  for  1836  contains  fifty  coloured 
illustrations  of  the  leading  Dahlias,  and  also  a  list  of  700 
varieties  from  which  the  cultivator  could  select  when 
making  additions  to  his  collection.  From  1836  to  1856 
was  a  period  of  great  activity  among  Dahlia  growers  and 
raisers,  and  the  improvements  made  in  the  flowers  was  so 
great  that  but  few  varieties  were  shown  more  than  four  or 
five  years  with  the  exception  of  Springfield  Rival,  which  pos- 
sessed merit  of  so  high  an  order  as  to  be  able  to  hold  its 
own  on  the  exhibition  stage  far  beyond  the  average  period. 

In  these  days  seedling  Dahlias  that  were  distinct  and 
highly  meritorious  were  readily  purchased  by  enterprising 
nurserymen  at  prices  that  would  be  considered  very  high  at 
the  present  day;  thus  in  1834  the  stock  of  Beauty  of 
Teffont,  a  light-coloured  flower  raised  by  a  clergyman,  was 
sold  for  .£60.  This  was  followed  by  Yellow  Defiance,  which 
was  purchased  from  the  raiser  for  the  sum  of  ^200.  In  the 
next  few  years  the  varieties  Alice,  Beeswing,  Cleopatra,  and 


THE    FANCY    DAHLIA  21 

Shylock  realised  ^100  each,  and  the  variety  known  as  the 
Marchioness  of  Ormonde  £105.  The  sum  of  £105  was 
paid  also  for  a  variety  named  Queen  Victoria,  but  it  did  not 
fulfil  its  promise,  and  with  the  disappointment  it  caused  to 
cultivators  an  end  was  put  to  the  high  prices  paid  for  new 
Dahlias. 

The  fancy  Dahlia  was  later  in  making  its  appearance 
than  the  show  type,  and  for  a  considerable  period  subse- 
quent thereto  the  flowers  of  the  several  varieties  were  much 
inferior  in  form  and  finish  to  the  finest  of  the  show  flowers. 
But  few  of  the  fancies  are  included  in  the  fifty  coloured 
illustrations  of  the  leading  Dahlias  of  the  day  that  were 
published  in  the  Dahlia  Register  for  1836  and  in  the 
nurserymen's  lists,  and  in  the  selected  lists  of  varieties  that 
were  given  the  distinctive  term  of  fancy  was  not  used.  In 
the  lists  of  Dahlias  that  were  issued  in  1845  one  fancy 
flower — Oakley's  Surprise — had  a  place,  but  during  the  next 
four  years  the  section  had  increased  considerably,  for  in  one 
of  the  lists  that  was  published  in  1849  there  were  twenty- 
four  fancy  varieties.  Sixteen  years  later  the  number  of  fancy 
varieties  catalogued  was  forty-one,  and  of  these  the  greater 
proportion  had  been  raised  in  this  country.  During  the 
past  twenty  years  but  few  new  fancy  flowers  have  been 
introduced.  This  section,  it  should  be  mentioned,  originated 
on  the  Continent,  and  chief  among  the  raisers  who  rendered 
good  service  in  the  earliest  stage  of  its  development  was 
M.  Lelieur  of  Sevres. 

With  regard  to  the  characteristics  of  the  show  and  fancy 
varieties,  of  primary  importance  from  the  exhibition  point  of 
view  there  is  no  room  for  doubt.  George  Glenny  and  other 
authorities  some  seventy  or  eighty  years  ago  laid  down  the 


22     PRESENT-DAY    GARDENING 

lines  on  which  these  varieties  should  be  judged.  It  was 
stipulated  that  show  and  fancy  Dahlias  should  be  circular 
in  form,  the  petals  or  florets  rounded,  the  centre  compact, 
closed,  and  on  a  level  with  the  shoulder  of  the  bloom  ;  that 
the  florets  should  be  stiff  and  smooth  and  the  back  ones 
the  largest,  so  that  the  whole  of  the  flower  may  be  seen  to 
advantage  when  viewed  from  the  front.  In  judging  stands 
of  these  flowers  due  consideration  was  to  be  given  to 
variety,  attractiveness  of  colour,  uniformity  in  size,  and 
perfection  of  form  in  the  individual  blooms.  These  lines, 
with  but  little  modification,  have  been  followed  until  the 
present  time  at  the  exhibitions  of  the  National  Dahlia  Society 
and  other  societies  that  give  special  encouragement  to 
Dahlias.  The  Royal  Horticultural  Society  suggests  in  its 
"  Rules  for  Judging "  that  in  estimating  the  merits  of  the 
show  and  fancy  flowers,  the  blooms  should  be  of  good 
outline,  the  florets  rounded  or  fluted,  of  a  shell  shape, 
centre  of  bloom  well  up  or  even,  but  close  and  not  over 
developed,  colour  bright  and  fresh,  the  back  florets  not 
being  faded. 

The  flowers  of  the  show  and  fancy  Dahlias  have  some- 
times been  described  as  lumpish  and  inelegant,  and  there 
are  those  who  regard  the  varieties  as  utterly  unfit  for  any 
purpose  other  than  the  production  of  specimen  blooms 
for  exhibition.  This  is  a  mistake,  and  it  has  resulted  in 
many  gardens  being  much  less  interesting  and  attractive 
late  in  summer  and  early  in  autumn  than  they  might  be. 
The  flowers  have  certainly  a  formal  appearance,  but  lumpish 
and  inelegant  they  are  not,  and  those  who  have  paid  any 
considerable  degree  of  attention  to  Dahlias  can  hardly  fail 
to  derive  much  pleasure  from  well-developed  blooms  so 


DAHLIAS    FOR    EXHIBITION     23 

symmetrical  in  outline  and  noble  in  their  proportions  as 
the  show  Dahlias,  more  especially  as  they  represent  the 
results  of  strenuous  endeavour  on  the  part  of  many  genera- 
tions of  flower  lovers.  Show  and  fancy  Dahlias  are  less 
useful  for  the  floral  adornment  of  the  house  than  are  the 
light  and  elegant  blooms  of  the  cactus  and  single  flowered 
varieties,  but  for  bold  decorations  they  are  valuable,  the 
effects  they  produce  being  at  once  rich  and  distinct. 

It  cannot  be  too  clearly  stated,  however,  that  when  the 
plants  are  grown  in  conditions  most  favourable  to  the  pro- 
duction of  exhibition  blooms  of  the  largest  size  they  have 
masses  of  foliage,  and  the  leaves  completely  hide  the  flowers, 
whilst  the  flower  stems  are  weak  and  the  flowers  drooping. 
A  less  stimulating  course  of  culture  is  necessary  in  order 
that  the  growth  may  be  of  compact  habit,  and  the  blooms 
borne  on  stiff,  erect  stems  well  above  the  foliage,  where  they 
will  develop  the  richest  colours. 

THIRTY  SHOW  DAHLIAS  FOR  EXHIBITION 

Arthur  Rawlings:  Deep  crimson.  Of  good  depth  and 
outline. 

Chieftain :  Purple-lilac.  Of  fine  form  and  distinct  in 
colour. 

Colonist :  Chocolate  shading  to  fawn  ;  medium  size. 

Dr.  Keynes :  Bright  buff  suffused  with  red. 

Duchess  of  York :  Lemon-yellow  margined  with  salmon- 
pink. 

Duke  of  Fife :  Cardinal  red  ;  blooms  of  great  depth. 

Florence  Tranter:  Blush  white  margined  with  rose- 
purple. 


24     PRESENT-DAY    GARDENING 

George  Rawlings :  Deep  maroon.  A  large  flower  with 
fine  outline. 

Gracchus :  Rich  orange.  The  flowers  have  fine,  broad 
florets. 

Harry  Keith  :  Rose-purple.  A  large  flower  and  constant 
bloomer. 

Henri  Depresie :  Orange-scarlet.     Very  constant. 

James  Cocker:  Rich  purple.  Of  large  size  and  good 
depth. 

John  Hickling :  Bright  yellow ;  one  of  the  best  of  its 
colour. 

John  Walker :  Pure  white.  A  free  blooming  variety  with 
flowers  of  fine  form. 

/.  T.  West :  Yellow  tipped  with  purple  ;  a  fine  flower. 

Maud  Fellowes :  White  suffused  with  purple.  The 
centre  of  this  flower  is  exceptionally  good. 

Merlin  :  Rich  scarlet.     Of  medium  size  and  fine  form. 

Mrs.  C.  Carrington ;  Mauve-pink.  A  sport  from  Mrs. 
Morgan. 

Mrs.  Gladstone :  Light  pink ;  of  exquisite  colour  and 
form. 

Mrs.  Morgan  :  Light  ground  tinted  with  purple. 

Mrs.  W.  Slack :  Blush  margined  with  purple. 

Perfection :  Pale  buff.  A  large  and  finely-formed 
flower. 

R.  T.  Rawlings  :  Soft,  bright  yellow.     Of  medium  size. 

Tom  Jones :  A  cream-coloured  flower  suffused  and  edged 
with  mauve. 

T.  W.  Girdlestone:  Bright  rich  purple.  A  large  and 
effective  flower. 

/.  T.  Saltmarsh  :  Yellow  tipped  with  red.     Very  constant. 


PLATE  III 
CACTUS   DAHLIA— CONQUEROR 


DAHLIAS    FOR    EXHIBITION     27 

Willie  Garrett :  Cardinal  red,  of  medium  size  and  fine 
form. 

Warrior :  Brilliant  scarlet.     Large  and  distinct. 
William  Powell :  Primrose-yellow.    Large  and  fine  form. 
William  Rawlings  :  Crimson  purple.     Very  constant. 


FIFTEEN  FANCY  DAHLIAS  FOR  EXHIBITION 

Comedian  :  Orange-yellow  striped  with  crimson. 

Dorothy :  Fawn  colour  striped  and  splashed  with 
maroon. 

Emin  Pacha :  Yellow  freckled  and  striped  with 
crimson. 

Goldsmith  :  Yellow  striped  and  edged  with  crimson. 

Heather  Bell :  Bright  scarlet  tipped  with  white. 

Henry  Clark :  A  light  shade  of  lilac  with  yellow 
blotches. 

John  Britton :  Rose-lilac  striped  with  crimson  ;  con- 
stant. 

Mabel :  Deep  lilac  striped  with  crimson. 

Matthew  Campbell :  Buff  striped  and  flaked  with  crimson. 

Miss  Browning :  Bright  yellow  tipped  with  white. 

Mrs.  Saunders  (see  Plate  II)  :  Rich  yellow  with  white 
tips. 

Rev.  J.  M.  B.  Camm :  Bright  yellow  striped  with  scarlet. 

S.  Mortimer  :  Deep  rose  flaked  and  striped  with  crimson. 

Sunset :  Rich  yellow  flaked  and  very  showy. 

William  Pemberton :  Bright  orange  flaked  and  striped 
with  deep  scarlet. 


28     PRESENT-DAY    GARDENING 


TWELVE  SHOW  VARIETIES  FOR 
GARDEN  DECORATION 

David  Johnson :  A  shade  of  fawn  suffused  with  rose. 
Flowers  of  medium  size. 

Edward  Mawley :  Deep  crimson.  Flowers  borne  on 
long  and  erect  stems. 

Gracchus. 

John  Bennett :  Rich  yellow  edged  with  scarlet. 

John  Walker. 

Merlin. 

Mrs.  J.  R.  Jeffard :  Rich  yellow.  The  flowers  are  very 
large. 

Perfection. 

Queen  of  the  Belgians :  Cream- white  suffused  with  pink. 

R.  T.  Rawlings. 

Spitfire:  Brilliant  scarlet.     Flowers  of  medium  size. 

Tom  Jones. 

SIX  FANCY  VARIETIES  FOR  GARDEN 
DECORATION 

Duchess  of  Albany :  Orange-yellow  striped  and  flaked 
with  crimson. 

Gaiety :  Yellow  striped  with  red  and  having  white  tips. 

Mrs.  N.  Halls :  Scarlet  with  white  tips. 

Mrs.  Reggie  Green :  White  flaked  and  striped  with  rose- 
purple. 

Mrs.  Saunders. 

Prince  Henry  :  Rose-lilac  with  purple  markings. 


CHAPTER    IV 
CACTUS    DAHLIAS 

AT  the  very  time  of  the  revival  of  the  single  Dahlias  as 
subjects  of  popular  interest  there  made  its  appearance  in 
the  floral  world  a  new  type  which  has  become  known  as 
the  cactus  Dahlia.  Its  introduction  proved  an  event  of 
much  importance,  for  as  the  precursor  of  large  numbers 
of  distinct  and  beautiful  varieties  it  has  contributed  in  no 
small  degree  to  the  revival  of  the  interest  in  Dahlias  both  in 
relation  to  their  value  for  exhibition  and  usefulness  in  the 
garden.  Not  less  interesting  is  the  fact  that  the  descendants 
of  Dahlia  Yuarezii,  the  type  of  the  cactus  Dahlia,  have 
effected  a  change  in  the  views  of  raisers  and  growers  on 
the  points  of  perfection  in  Dahlias  that  is  little  short  of 
marvellous.  At  first  this  epoch-making  Dahlia  was  not 
accepted  with  favour  by  those  florists  who  had  for  a  long 
series  of  years  devoted  much  of  their  time  to  the  develop- 
ment of  the  blooms  of  the  Dahlia  on  more  or  less  formal 
lines.  That  they  should  have  looked  somewhat  askance 
at  the  new  comer  is  not  surprising,  for  its  flowers  varied 
materially  from  the  ideals  for  which  raisers  had  long  been 
working.  Except  in  brilliancy  of  colouring  the  blooms  did 
not  possess  one  of  the  points  that  had  long  been  regarded 

as  essential  properties  of  a  show  Dahlia,    They  were  of 

39 


30      PRESENT-DAY    GARDENING 

large  size,  but  the  florets,  instead  of  being  cupped,  rounded 
at  the  tips,  and  arranged  with  mathematical  precision,  were 
long,  pointed,  and  with  a  graceful  curve.  In  general  char- 
acter the  blooms  of  D.  Yuarezii  had  a  rather  close  resem- 
blance to  a  variety  known  as  Brown's  Glowworm,  which 
was  figured  in  the  Dahlia  Register  in  1836  when  it  was 
enjoying  a  high  degree  of  popularity.  This  point  is  of 
interest  as  a  proof  that  our  gardens  might  have  been  en- 
riched with  cactus  Dahlias  some  forty  or  fifty  years  earlier 
than  was  the  case  had  there  been  a  demand  for  flowers  of 
this  type. 

If  D.  Yuarezii  did  not  at  first  appeal  to  the  florists  its 
blooms  were  in  full  accord  with  the  public  taste,  which  had 
for  some  years  previously  evinced  an  appreciation  for 
flowers  that  possessed  a  sufficient  degree  of  lightness  to 
suggest  a  touch  of  nature  rather  than  the  hand  of  man.  It 
accordingly  attained  popularity  with  surprising  rapidity,  and 
the  raisers  engaged  with  much  zeal  in  the  task  of  producing 
new  varieties  of  a  similar  type. 

It  was  on  the  occasion  of  a  fruit  show  held  at  the 
Alexandra  Palace,  Muswell  Hill,  on  September  3,  1880, 
that  D.  Yuarezii  was  first  presented  to  the  public  notice  in 
this  country.  The  exhibitor  was  Mr.  Henry  Cannell, 
V.M.H.,  of  Swanley,  and  the  large,  elegant,  and  brilliantly 
coloured  flowers  at  once  attracted  the  attention  of  visitors. 
Shortly  afterwards  Mr.  Cannell  exhibited  a  stand  of  blooms 
at  a  meeting  of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society  held  at 
South  Kensington,  where  also  the  new  Dahlia  created  much 
interest.  As  already  stated  in  a  previous  chapter,  M.  J.  T. 
Van  der  Berg  of  Juxphaar  near  Utrecht  received  in  1872 
from  a  friend  in  Mexico  a  case  containing  bulbs,  tubers,  and 


NEW    VARIETIES  31 

seeds,  and  from  one  of  the  tubers  this  Dahlia  was  raised.  It 
will  thus  be  seen  that  a  period  of  eight  years  elapsed  between 
its  introduction  to  Europe  and  the  appearance  of  blooms  at 
a  public  exhibition  in  this  country.  To  the  late  Mr.  W.  H. 
Cullingford  of  Kensington  belongs  the  credit  of  introducing 
the  cactus  Dahlia  to  this  country.  He  met  with  it  in  one 
of  the  nurseries  near  Haarlem,  and  attracted  by  the  distinct 
form  and  bright  colouring  of  the  flowers,  he  purchased 
plants  and  grew  them  for  one  or  two  years  without  being 
aware  of  the  rarity  of  the  type.  He  eventually  gave  some 
plants  to  Mr.  Cannell,  who,  recognising  the  potentialities  of 
the  flower,  cultivated  it  well  and  brought  it  into  public 
notice. 

The  readiness  with  which  the  raisers  turned  their  atten- 
tion to  the  production  of  varieties  of  D.  Yuarezii  is  of 
interest  as  evidence  that  they  had  recognised  the  trend  of 
public  taste  and  were  anxious  to  meet  the  varying  require- 
ments consequent  on  the  changes  in  the  world  of  flori- 
culture. As  the  result  of  their  activities  numbers  of  new 
varieties  were  soon  forthcoming,  and  by  1891  they  had  so 
greatly  increased  that  the  National  Dahlia  Society  found 
it  necessary  to  provide  a  class  specially  for  them  in  the 
schedule  of  its  exhibition  for  that  year.  By  this  time  two 
sports  from  D.  Yuarezii  had  been  fixed  and  distributed. 
These  were  known  as  Beauty  of  Arundel  (white)  and 
Professor  Baldwin  (rose-purple). 

In  the  production  of  new  cactus  Dahlias  raisers  made  at 
the  commencement  the  same  mistakes  as  raisers  of  other 
flowers  :  they  concentrated  their  efforts  upon  the  develop- 
ment of  the  individual  blooms  instead  of  improving  both 
the  plant  and  its  flowers.  In  following  the  course  of  pro- 


32      PRESENT-DAY    GARDENING 

cedure  on  which  they  entered  they  achieved  much  success. 
They  remodelled  the  blooms  on  lines  that  rendered  them 
more  graceful  and  effective  than  were  those  of  the  type, 
they  greatly  increased  their  size,  and  developed  a  range  of 
colouring  so  wide  as  to  extend  from  pure  white  to  brilliant 
scarlet  and  the  richest  shades  of  crimson,  purple,  rose,  and 
yellow.  The  success  that  has  been  achieved  in  the  develop- 
ment of  the  individual  bloom  during  the  progress  of  im- 
provement is  evident  at  the  autumn  shows,  and  the  glorious 
displays  of  highly  refined  cactus  flowers  in  their  rich  and 
diversified  colours  have  done  much  to  sustain  the  interest 
in  the  Dahlia,  and  have  contributed  materially  to  the  popu- 
larity of  the  September  exhibitions. 

Recognising  the  delightful  effects  produced  at  the  autumn 
exhibitions  by  the  splendidly  developed  blooms  of  the  cactus 
Dahlias,  it  is  not  difficult  to  imagine  how  immensely 
would  the  flower  garden  have  gained  had  a  race  of  cactus 
varieties  suitable  for  garden  decoration  been  cultivated  con- 
currently with  the  development  of  varieties  remarkable  for 
the  large  size  and  fine  form  of  the  individual  blooms.  But 
the  blooms  were  considered  of  such  paramount  importance 
that  but  little  consideration  was  given  for  many  years  by 
owners  of  gardens  to  the  habits  of  varieties  or  their  capaci- 
ties for  flower  production.  When  Dahlias  are  required  for 
contributing  to  the  attractions  of  the  garden  the  character- 
istics of  the  plants  should  have  the  first  consideration.  In 
the  selection  of  Dahlias,  as  of  roses  and  some  other  classes 
of  flowers,  it  is  essential  to  differentiate  between  the  varieties 
specially  adapted  for  exhibition  and  those  most  suitable  for 
the  production  of  colour  effects  in  the  garden,  and  to  select 
varieties  that  are  the  best  adapted  for  the  purpose  for  which 


POMPON    CACTUS  33 

they  are  required.  If  blooms  are  wanted  for  competitive 
purposes,  then  make  selections  of  varieties  from  the  winning 
stands  at  the  exhibitions  ;  but  when  Dahlias  for  garden  de- 
coration are  required,  take  care  to  visit  gardens  and 
nurseries  where  these  flowers  are  largely  grown,  and  make 
note  of  varieties  that  are  compact  in  growth  and  that  carry 
their  blooms  well  above  the  leaves. 

Raisers  of  cactus  Dahlias  are  at  last  devoting  attention  to 
the  production  of  varieties  especially  adapted  to  garden 
decoration,  and  they  have  already  introduced  a  considerable 
number  that  possess  much  merit.  The  attributes  of  a  good 
cactus  Dahlia  for  the  garden  are  a  moderately  vigorous 
growth,  a  compact  habit,  and  well-formed,  attractively- 
coloured  flowers  borne  on  stems  of  sufficient  length  and 
rigidity  to  carry  them  well  above  the  leaves,  that  they  may 
be  readily  seen  and  produce  the  best  effect.  The  best  size 
for  the  flower  of  a  garden  cactus  Dahlia  is  a  matter  of  taste, 
but  those  rather  above  medium  size  are  in  some  respects 
preferable,  because  of  their  being  for  the  most  part  pro- 
portionate to  the  strength  of  the  stems. 

Only  a  decade  or  so  ago  varieties  of  moderate  height 
and  bearing  comparatively  small  flowers  began  to  make 
their  appearance  in  the  seed  beds  of  raisers  engaged  in 
the  improvement  of  the  cactus  Dahlia.  The  best  of  these 
have  from  time  to  time  been  selected  with  a  view  to  fix- 
ing these  characteristics,  and  the  number  in  commerce  is 
considerable.  They  are  known  as  "  pompon  cactus  "  (see 
Plate  IV),  and  form  a  group  that  is  useful  for  garden 
decoration,  and  even  more  valuable  for  the  supply  of 
flowers  for  floral  arrangements.  The  blooms  are  similar  in 
form  and  colour  to  those  belonging  to  the  ordinary  varieties 

C 


34      PRESENT-DAY    GARDENING 

and  about  half  the  size,  thus  being  most  suitable  for 
decorative  purposes  in  a  cut  state. 

The  best  place  for  the  cactus  Dahlias  in  the  garden 
must  be  determined  by  the  varieties  selected  and  the 
purpose  for  which  they  are  intended.  If  the  object  is  to 
beautify  the  garden  those  varieties  only  which  are  recom- 
mended for  that  purpose  should  be  selected,  and  in  the 
majority  of  cases  the  preferable  course  will  be  to  plant 
them  in  mixed  borders.  In  this  case  there  will  be  an 
abundance  of  other  flowers  until  the  Dahlias  come  into 
bloom,  and  from  the  time  they  reach  this  stage  until  the 
frost  causes  a  check  to  tender  vegetation  they  will  contribute 
liberally  to  the  floral  display.  In  spacious  borders  they  may 
be  arranged  in  triplets  to  form  bold  groups,  each  group  con- 
sisting of  one  variety,  but  in  those  of  small  size  it  is  best  to 
plant  them  singly.  Arranged  in  borders  wholly  devoted  to 
them,  these  garden  cactus  Dahlias  are  both  attractive  and 
interesting,  provided  due  consideration  is  given  to  the  height 
of  the  plants  and  the  colours  of  the  flowers.  Medium-sized 
beds  on  the  lawn  are  very  attractive  when  filled  with  one 
variety,  and  that  of  moderate  height  and  free  in  flowering. 

Dahlias  required  for  the  production  of  blooms  for 
exhibitions  should  be  given  a  position  in  the  kitchen 
garden  or  other  out-of-the-way  place  where  they  will  not 
be  conspicuous  from  the  house  or  the  principal  paths  in 
the  pleasure  grounds,  as  breadths  of  Dahlias  are  not  par- 
ticularly attractive  when  grown  in  conditions  most  favour- 
able to  the  full  development  of  exhibition  blooms.  The 
preparation  of  the  soil  and  the  distance  at  which  the  plants 
are  arranged  must  be  in  accordance  with  the  directions 
that  are  given  in  the  chapters  devoted  to  these  details. 


CACTUS    VARIETIES  35 

THIRTY-SIX  CACTUS  VARIETIES  FOR 
EXHIBITION 

Advance :  Bright  scarlet.     Flowers  very  large. 

Brigadier :  Bright  crimson. 

C.  E.  Wilkins :  Rich  salmon-pink  with  yellow  centre. 

Conqueror  (see  Plate  III)  :  Rich  crimson ;  large  and 
effective. 

Dolly  :  Rich  scarlet  with  pure  white  tips. 

Dr.  G.  G.  Gray :  Bright  crimson-scarlet.  The  florets 
are  very  narrow. 

Dr.  Roy  Appleton :  Lemon-yellow  suffused  with  salmon. 

Edith  Carter :  Rich  yellow,  passing  to  bright  rose-red  on 
the  upper  half  of  the  florets. 

Excelsior :  Deep  maroon.     A  refined  flower. 

Glory  of  Wilts :  Bright  yellow.  A  large,  well-formed  flower. 

Frederick  Wenham :  A  shade  of  fawn  tinted  with  pink. 
This  flower  has  very  long  florets. 

Harold  Pearman :  Rich  yellow  ;  the  blooms  of  large 
size  and  freely  produced. 

H.  L.  Brousson :  White  suffused  with  rose.  The  flower 
is  of  extra  good  form. 

H.  H.  Thomas :  Rich  crimson.    Very  large  and  effective. 

lolanthe :  Coral-red  tipped  with  golden-yellow.  Dis- 
tinct in  colour  and  high  in  quality. 

Ivernia :  Salmon  suffused  with  fawn  and  with  lighter 
centre.  Very  large. 

/.  B.  Riding :  Orange  with  yellow  at  base  of  florets. 

John  Riding :  Bright  red  with  long  incurving  florets. 

Lffda :  Deep  rose  colour  with  light  centre-segments 
finely  incurved. 


36      PRESENT-DAY    GARDENING 

Miss  Stredwick:  The  florets  are  deep  pink  at  the  base 
and  soft  yellow  at  tip. 

Mrs.  Alfred  Dyer :  Lemon-yellow  tinted  with  rose-pink. 
j/M rs.  Douglas  Fleming :  White.  A  large  and  elegant  flower. 

Mrs.  Charles  Wyatt :  White.     A  large  flower  of  fine  form. 

Mrs.  Macmillan :  Bright  pink  with  centre  of  cream  white. 

Mrs.  Randle  (see  Frontispiece)  :  Rich  rose-pink.    Flowers 
large  and  elegant. 

Nantwich  :  Pale  yellow,  occasionally  marked  with  scarlet. 

Nelson :   Rich  crimson  suffused  with  magenta.     Large, 
and  of  fine  form. 

New  York :  Bronze  suffused  with  salmon. 

Pegasus :  Bright  rose  striped  and  spotted  with  crimson. 

Red  Admiral:    Brilliant    scarlet.      Of   large    size    and 
excellent  form. 

Rev.  Arthur  Bridges :  Clear  yellow  suffused  and  tipped 
with  pink. 

Rev.  T.  W.  Jamieson  :  Yellow  passing  to  lilac-rose. 

Ruby  Grinsted:  A  rose-fawn  flower  with  pale  yellow  centre. 

Satisfaction  :   White  suffused  with  soft   pink.      Finely 
incurved. 

Snowdon  :  Pure  white.     A  large  flower.     Habit  erect. 

Victory :  Coral-red.     A  large,  full,  and  graceful  flower. 

TWELVE  CACTUS  DAHLIAS  FOR  THE 
GARDEN 

Amos  Perry :  Rich  crimson. 
Avoca :  Rose-crimson  shaded  with  scarlet. 
Clarisse  :  Orange-scarlet  shaded  with  cerise. 
Duchess  of  Sutherland :  Blush  pink. 


VARIETIES    FOR    GARDEN       37 

Eclaire :  Rich  scarlet. 

Erecta :  Bright  pink. 

Hon.  Mrs.  Greville :  Orange-yellow  tinted  with  salmon. 

Mauve  Queen  :  Bright  mauve. 

Mrs.  J.  H.  Usmar :  Deep  orange  shaded  with  coral-pink. 

Primrose  Queen :  Primrose-yellow. 

Sweetbriar :  Rose-pink. 

White  Ensign :  Pure  white. 

TWELVE  POMPON  CACTUS  DAHLIAS 
FOR  EXHIBITION 

Argus:  Crimson-lake. 
Dandy :  Primrose  suffused  with  salmon. 
Garibaldi :  Bright  scarlet. 
Goldfinch  (see  Plate  IV)  :  Bright  yellow. 
Mary :  White  edged  with  crimson, 
Martha :  Orange-red. 
Minima :  Purple-crimson. 
Modesty  (see  Plate  IV)  :  Rose-pink. 
Nain :  Light  orange,  deeper  in  centre. 
Snowbird :  White  (finely  incurved). 
Titus :  Lemon-yellow,  shading  to  buff  and  tipped  with 
white. 

William  Marshall :  Maroon-red. 

TWELVE  POMPON  CACTUS  DAHLIAS 
FOR  THE  GARDEN 

Cheerful :  Pink  with  light  centre. 
Coronation :  Bright  scarlet. 
Grade :  Scarlet,  white,  and  yellow. 


3.8     PRESENT-DAY    GARDENING 

Mary. 

Mignon :  Bright  pink. 

Minima. 

Nain. 

Purple  Gem :  Deep  purple. 

Sovereign :  Golden-yellow. 

Sweet :  Salmon  tipped  with  white. 

Tomtit :  Mauve  pink  (very  distinct). 

William  Marshall. 


TWELVE  CACTUS  SINGLE  DAHLIAS 

Abbotsford :  Orange-scarlet. 

Amy  Robsart :  Rich  scarlet.     Florets  elegantly  curved. 

Fair  Maid :  Blush  white.  Of  medium  size  and  fine 
form. 

Hereward :  Yellow  flaked  and  striped  with  scarlet. 

Ivanhoe :  Rose  with  crimson  zone  ;  very  pleasing. 

Minna:  Bronze-yellow  suffused  with  carmine  at  the 
margin. 

Meg  Merrilees :  Bright  yellow.  Florets  large  and 
twisted. 

Queen  Mary  :  White  with  pale  yellow  zone  ;  elegant. 

Rob  Roy :  Deep  yellow  striped  and  splashed  with 
scarlet. 

Rose  Bradwardine :  Yellow  shaded  with  bronze  and 
having  red  tips. 

Sir  Walter  Rose :  Pink  with  orange  base ;  gracefully 
curved. 

Talisman  :  Deep  crimson.     Finely  incurved. 


CHAPTER  V 
SINGLE    DAHLIAS 

FOR  some  seventy  years  after  the  introduction  of  the  Dahlia 
into  European  gardens  raisers  in  Great  Britain  as  in  other 
countries  devoted  their  attention  exclusively  to  the  pro- 
duction of  varieties  with  double  flowers,  and  all  seedlings 
which  failed  to  produce  flowers  of  this  type  were  destroyed. 
In  this  long  period  the  double  flowers  had,  by  the  per- 
severance of  the  florists  and  a  close  adherence  to  the 
properties  formulated  by  the  leading  authorities,  been 
brought  to  a  high  degree  of  perfection.  They  had  reached 
a  stage  of  development  when  it  was  extremely  difficult  to 
obtain  such  improvements  as  would  attract  the  attention  of 
the  general  body  of  cultivators.  Improvements  continued 
to  be  made,  but  they  were  such  as  to  interest  the  exhibitors 
rather  than  the  cultivators  who  grew  Dahlias  simply  for  the 
purpose  of  beautifying  their  gardens,  and  in  the  absence  of 
startling  novelties  Dahlias  steadily  declined  in  public  favour. 
Something  quite  new  was  required  to  bring  about  a  revival 
of  interest.  It  is  therefore  a  matter  of  importance  to 
recall  the  fact  that  when  the  popularity  of  the  Dahlia  had 
well-nigh  reached  its  lowest  ebb,  and  those  who  were 
specially  interested  in  the  flower  were  regarding  its  future 
with  much  anxiety,  there  reappeared  the  original  Dahlia  of 
1789.  This  simple  Mexican  flower  with  its  small  bright 


40     PRESENT-DAY    GARDENING 

scarlet  blooms,  known  as  the  single  Dahlia,  lighted  up  as  it 
were  the  darkness  that  prevailed  among  the  fanciers,  and- 
prepared  the  way  for  the  cactus  and  other  types.  It  rapidly 
acquired  popularity  as  though  its  charms  had  been  perceived 
for  the  first  time,  and  the  interest  created  by  its  reintro- 
duction  to  public  notice  had  the  effect  of  bringing  two 
other  single  Dahlias  into  prominence  that  had  long  remained 
in  the  cold  shade  of  neglect. 

The  reintroduction  of  the  single  variety  known  as 
coccinea  was  due  to  the  late  Mr.  Alfred  Salter,  who,  in  the 
autumn  of  1874,  exhibited  blooms  at  one  of  the  Royal 
Horticultural  Society's  meetings  at  South  Kensington. 
These  flowers  created  much  interest,  and  a  demand  rapidly 
urose  for  varieties  with  single  flowers,  so  that  within  a  com- 
paratively short  period  two  others  were  brought  out  from 
the  obscurity  in  which  they  had  so  long  been  hidden,  and 
placed  within  the  reach  of  cultivators.  These  varieties  were 
known  as  Lutea  and  Paragon  ;  they  possessed  much  merit, 
although  not  comparable  with  the  excellent  varieties  of 
more  recent  introduction.  Lutea  had,  as  its  name  indicates, 
yellow  flowers,  and  it  was  probably  a  survival  from  the 
earlier  days  of  the  cultivated  Dahlia,  but  there  is  no  trust- 
worthy information  upon  this  point.  Paragon  was  a  specially 
attractive  variety ;  the  blooms  were  rather  large,  of  good 
form,  and  of  a  rich  maroon  colour  with  a  broad  purple 
margin  to  the  florets.  This  variety  was  introduced  to 
cultivation  about  the  year  1830,  and  it  was  described 
in  a  catalogue  of  Dahlias  issued  by  Appleby,  a  Doncaster 
florist,  in  1834.  It  is  said  to  have  been  found  in  a 
botanic  garden,  but  whether  this  was  the  case  or  not, 
it  is  evident  that  it  was  valued  by  some  cultivators  for  a 


PLATE   IV 
POMPON  CACTUS   DAHLIAS 


MODESTY 


GOLDFINCH 


ml. 


IMPROVEMENTS  43 

considerable  period  after  the  double  Dahlias  had  practically 
obtained  undisputed  sway. 

The  two  varieties  last  named  were  soon  followed  by 
other  single  Dahlias,  for  raisers  were  quick  to  recognise  the 
trend  of  public  taste  in  favour  of  single  flowers,  and  to  take 
the  steps  necessary  to  meet  the  demand  for  them.  Crosses 
were  effected  between  D.  coccinea  and  the  two  varieties  re- 
introduced  with  it,  and  possibly  between  this  trio  and  D. 
Merckii,  which  under  the  name  of  D.  glabrata  was  introduced 
from  Mexico  in  1840,  and  new  varieties  with  well  formed 
and  attractively  coloured  flowers  were  introduced.  In  a 
short  time  cultivators  found  to  their  hand  a  consider- 
able number  of  single  Dahlias  of  great  excellence,  and 
with  these  there  were  some  that,  owing  to  their  coarse 
habit  and  large,  floppy  flowers,  were  of  but  little  value. 
Not  all  the  raisers  in  the  earlier  days  of  the  single  Dahlia 
were  equally  careful  in  making  selections  from  their  seed 
beds,  and  the  distribution  of  varieties  that  were  not  satis- 
factory had  the  effect  of  giving  a  check  to  their  popularity. 
Happily  this  practice,  which  obtained  only  among  a  few, 
was  soon  abandoned,  and  for  many  years  the  greatest 
care  has  been  taken  to  select  for  distribution  none  but 
those  that  show  a  decided  improvement  in  one  or  more 
respects  upon  those  of  a  similar  character  or  colour  already 
in  cultivation.  As  a  consequence  the  varieties  in  commerce 
are  of  so  high  an  order  of  merit  that  the  chief  difficulty  of 
the  inexperienced  in  making  a  selection  is  to  obtain  a 
proper  representation  of  the  varied  colours  which  the 
single  Dahlias  afford. 

So  far  the  reference  to  single  Dahlias  has  been  limited 
to  varieties  that  have  flowers  of  medium  size,  circular  in 


44     PRESENT-DAY    GARDENING 

outline,  and  that  conform  in  all  respects  to  the  requirements 
of  the  florists.  In  addition  to  these,  which  are  by  far  the 
most  valuable  both  for  the  garden  and  exhibition,  there  are 
two  other  types  that  are  regarded  with  much  favour  by 
some  cultivators  and  are  useful  for  special  purposes.  The 
first  of  these  types,  known  as  the  Tom  Thumb  Single,  was 
introduced  about  1880  by  the  late  Mr.  Girdlestone,  who  for 
some  years  was  the  Honorary  Secretary  and  subsequently 
President  of  the  National  Dahlia  Society.  The  plants  of  this 
type  attain  a  height  of  about  18  inches,  bloom  freely,  and 
the  flowers  afford  a  wide  range  of  colour.  Their  chief 
value  is  for  small  beds  and  for  planting  along  the  front  of 
borders.  The  other  type,  known  as  the  Single  Cactus,  is 
distinguished  by  the  flowers  having  florets  that  are  twisted 
and  curled  in  much  the  same  way  as  those  of  the  cactus 
Dahlia.  This  type  originated  with  the  late  Mr.  E.  J.  Lowe, 
F.R.S.,  and  was  distributed  in  1896.  The  plants  are  dwarf, 
compact  in  growth,  and  free  in  blooming,  and  the  flowers 
in  their  diversity  of  colour  are  specially  useful,  by  reason  of 
their  lightness,  for  floral  arrangements. 

With  reference  to  the  desirable  characteristics  of  single 
Dahlias  of  the  ordinary  type,  it  may  be  pointed  out  that 
varieties  producing  blooms  of  medium  size  should  invariably 
be  selected.  In  form  the  flowers  should  be  circular  and 
even  in  outline ;  the  florets  perfectly  flat  and  even,  neatly 
and  closely  fitting  or  overlapping  and  slightly  recurved,  and 
the  flower  stems  should  be  stiff  and  erect.  Flowers  of  this 
type  are  not  only  more  refined  and  pleasing,  but  they  retain 
their  freshness  for  a  greater  length  of  time  than  do  those  in 
which  the  florets  are  widely  separated. 

Single  Dahlias  are  highly  effective  in  the  garden  when 


ON    MANURING  45 

placed  in  conditions  favourable  to  a  healthy  growth,  in 
which  a  proper  balance  is  maintained  between  the  develop- 
ment of  flowers  and  foliage.  The  enrichment  of  the  soil 
with  large  quantities  of  farmyard  or  stable  manure,  as 
in  the  preparation  of  beds  for  cactus,  fancy,  and  show 
varieties  to  be  grown  for  the  production  of  blooms  for 
exhibition,  is  unnecessary  and  undesirable.  As  in  the  case 
of  the  other  sections  when  grown  for  garden  decoration, 
the  soil  should  receive  only  a  moderate  dressing  of  well- 
decayed  manure  in  the  course  of  the  winter  and  be  then 
deeply  dug,  care  being  taken  to  well  mix  the  manure  with 
the  soil  in  the  process.  This  much  will  be  necessary  for 
maintaining  a  moderately  vigorous  growth  throughout  the 
season,  but  an  excess  of  manure  would  encourage  undue 
vigour  at  the  expense  of  flower-production.  It  is  advisable 
that  strong  plants  well  established  in  5-inch  or  6-inch  pots 
be  selected  for  planting  because  of  their  coming  into  bloom 
early  and  thus  prolonging  the  flowering  season. 

Complaints  are  sometimes  made  of  the  fleeting  character 
of  the  flowers  of  the  single  varieties.  It  must  be  admitted 
that  they  do  not  retain  their  freshness  for  so  long  a  period 
as  the  double  forms,  but  they  are  not  so  ephemeral  as  is 
generally  supposed  to  be  the  case.  The  length  of  time  that 
the  flowers  when  cut  will  retain  their  freshness  is  much  a 
matter  of  treatment.  They  are  too  often  cut  when  fully 
developed  or  after  having  been  subjected  to  several  hours' 
sunshine,  and  they  collapse  within  a  comparatively  short 
period  of  their  being  arranged  in  the  vases  or  other  re- 
ceptacles. The  proper  course  is  to  cut  the  flowers  quite 
early  in  the  day,  and  before  they  are  fully  open,  and  to 
place  the  ends  of  the  stalks  in  water  immediately  they  are. 


46      PRESENT-DAY    GARDENING 

severed  from  the  plant.     If  this  is  done  the  flowers  will 
remain  in  good  condition  for  a  considerable  period. 

Single  Dahlias  produce  seed  freely,  and  the  development 
and  ripening  of  seed  imposes  a  very  heavy  strain  upon  the 
plants.  It  is  essential,  therefore,  to  pick  off  the  faded  flowers 
at  frequent  intervals,  say  once  a  week,  before  the  seeds  have 
time  to  form. 


BEST  EIGHTEEN  SINGLE  DAHLIAS  FOR 
EXHIBITION 

Amy :  Terra-cotta.     Of  medium  size  and  very  refined. 

Betty  :  Rose-lilac  with  crimson  zone  round  the  disc. 

Butterfly  :  White  with  primrose  zone. 

Cardinal  (see  Plate  V)  :  Cardinal  red  with  yellow  zone. 

Columbine :  Rich  rose  colour  tinted  with  orange  at  the 
base  of  florets. 

Darkness  :  Maroon-crimson  ;  very  effective. 

Duke  of  York  :  Brilliant  orange-scarlet  with  golden  zone. 

Eclipse  :  Bright  rose  colour  with  maroon  zone. 

Kitty  :  Rosy-mauve  with  dark  zone.     Very  distinct. 

Leslie  Scale :  Pale  lilac  with  crimson  zone. 

Miss  Morland :  Crimson-scarlet. 

Miss  Roberts :  Clear  yellow.  Of  medium  size  and  fine 
outline. 

Mrs.  Joynson  Hicks  (see  Plate  V)  :  Pale  buff  with 
crimson  zone. 

Owen  Thomas :  Rich  scarlet  tipped  with  yellow  ;  very 
effective. 

Peggy:  Orange-yellow  with  rose  tips  and  rose-crimson 
base, 


DWARF    DAHLIAS  47 

Polly  Eccles :  Fawn  colour  with  red  zone  ;  very  free. 
Princess  of  Wales  :  Rich  pink. 

Rosebank :  Brilliant  scarlet.     Of  medium  size  and  free 
blooming  habit. 


TWELVE  SINGLE  DAHLIAS  FOR  GARDEN 
DECORATION 

Cardinal. 

Columbine. 

Ensign  :  Crimson-scarlet ;  free  and  effective. 

Fugi  San  :  Orange-yellow  with  crimson  zone. 

Kitty. 

Leslie  Seale. 

Miss  Morland. 

Miss  Roberts. 

Mrs.  Joynson  Hicks. 

Morning  Glow  :  Rich  amber  with  scarlet  zone. 

Owen  Thomas. 

Snowdrop  :  Pure  white.     Of  medium  size  and  fine  form, 

SIX  SINGLE  "TOM  THUMB"  DAHLIAS 
FOR  SMALL  BEDS 

Bantam :  Scarlet ;  height  1 2  inches. 

Booties  :  Deep  red  ;   16  inches. 

Golden  Fairy  :  Golden-yellow  ;    14  inches. 

Hermione  :  Pure  white  ;   12  inches. 

Miss  Grace :  Light  orange  ;   14  inches. 

Tom  Tit :  Orange-scarlet  with  yellow  zone  ;  18  inches. 


CHAPTER  VI 
POMPON   OR  BOUQUET  VARIETIES 

THE  distinct  and  highly  attractive  pompon  or  bouquet 
varieties  form  a  group  of  much  value  in  the  production  of 
colour  effects  in  the  garden  and  for  yielding  abundant 
supplies  of  flowers  for  home  decorations.  Notwithstanding 
their  usefulness  they  have  not  at  any  time  evoked  much 
enthusiasm  among  Dahlia  exhibitors.  They  have  been 
highly  appreciated  by  those  who  do  not  base  their  estimates 
of  the  merits  of  flowers  upon  their  size  alone,  but  they  have 
not  given  rise  to  the  excitement  characteristic  of  the  periods 
in  which  the  show  and  cactus  varieties  were  undergoing 
the  earlier  stages  of  their  development. 

The  record  of  the  origin  of  these  varieties  is  not  suffi- 
ciently clear  to  admit  of  a  definite  opinion  being  formed  as 
to  the  raiser  with  whom  they  originated  or  the  year  in 
which  they  were  introduced  to  this  country.  That  Germany 
was  the  country  of  their  origin  there  can  be  *io  doubt ;  and 
it  may  be  safely  assumed  that  they  were  raised  at  Koestritz, 
which  for  a  long  period  subsequent  to  1824  was  an  im- 
portant centre  of  Dahlia  culture.  The  earlier  varieties 
were  probably  introduced  to  British  gardens  towards  the 
end  of  the  first  half  of  the  nineteenth  century ;  but  they 
do  not  appear  to  have  met  with  much  favour  from  the 

general  body  of  cultivators  until  they  had  been  in  cultiva- 

48 


POMPONS    RECOGNISED          49 

tion  here  for  several  years.  It  is  not  surprising  this  should 
have  been  the  case,  for  both  raisers  and  growers  were  then 
so  unremitting  in  their  attentions  to  the  individual  bloom  as 
to  regard  the  plant  as  of  quite  secondary  importance.  The 
pompons  as  originally  introduced  were  comparatively  neat 
in  growth  and  free  in  flowering,  but  the  individual  blooms 
were  very  different  to  those  with  which  present-day  growers 
are  familiar,  and  were  certainly  not  specially  attractive. 
Slow  in  attaining  popularity,  they  did  not  make  their  appear- 
ance very  quickly  at  the  exhibitions.  The  schedule  of  the 
first  National  Dahlia  Show,  which  was  held  in  St.  James's 
Hall,  London,  in  1859,  did  not  contain  a  single  class 
specially  provided  for  them,  and  during  the  ten  years 
(1851-59)  over  which  the  work  of  the  National  Floricultural 
Society  extended  no  award  was  made  to  a  pompon 
Dahlia. 

It  was  not,  indeed,  until  the  National  Dahlia  Society  in 
1871  included  the  pompons  in  its  schedule  that  they  were 
recognised  as  florists'  flowers,  and  worthy  of  being  associated 
with  the  other  sections  at  the  exhibitions.  This  recognition 
gave  a  great  stimulus  to  their  culture  and  to  the  raising  of 
varieties.  This  inclusion  in  the  scheme  of  the  leading  Dahlia 
shows  was  a  distinct  advantage,  inasmuch  as  the  pompon 
flowers  were  staged  with  some  length  of  stem,  and  thus  they 
helped  to  relieve  the  flatness  characteristic  of  exhibitions 
where  the  blooms  are  shown  close  down  upon  sloping  boards. 
From  this  period  new  flowers  were  multiplied  at  a  rapid  rate, 
the  principal  raisers  being  John  Keynes  of  Salisbury  and 
Charles  Turner  of  Slough.  Immense  improvements  in  the 
form  and  colour  of  the  flowers  were  quickly  effected.  The 
habit  of  the  plants  was  improved,  and  the  usefulness  of  the 

D 


50      PRESENT-DAY    GARDENING 

section  in  the  garden  thereby  enhanced.  Unfortunately  the 
raisers  appear  to  have  taken  too  narrow  a  view  of  the  possi- 
bilities of  the  bloom  in  relation  to  form,  and  modelled  it  on 
the  same  lines  as  the  show  Dahlia.  They  have  succeeded 
in  raising  varieties  with  blooms  of  exquisite  shape,  but  too 
formal  to  be  readily  accepted  by  the  great  flower-loving 
public  as  suitable  for  floral  arrangements.  The  lines 
originally  laid  down  have  been  followed  until  the  present 
time,  and  as  a  consequence  the  flowers  possess  a  degree 
of  refinement  beyond  which  it  does  not  appear  possible 
to  go,  as  may  be  seen  in  the  charming  variety  Florence. 
The  success  achieved  in  the  development  of  the  pompon 
Dahlia  in  accordance  with  the  florist's  ideal,  has  been  little 
short  of  marvellous  ;  but  in  testifying  to  the  perseverance 
and  skill  evinced  in  the  attainment  of  the  ideal,  it  is  not 
difficult  to  realise  how  valuable  would  have  been  a  race  of 
varieties  bearing  blooms  of  a  type  similar  to  those  of  the 
variety  known  as  White  Aster,  which  is  so  much  appreci- 
ated for  floral  arrangements.  We  may  yet  have  such 
flowers  in  a  diversity  of  colouring,  for  raisers  and  growers 
are  no  longer  content  to  blindly  follow  the  traditions  of 
past  generations. 

It  has  already  been  intimated  that  the  pompon  Dahlias 
are  highly  meritorious  as  aids  in  beautifying  the  flower 
garden  during  a  considerable  period  in  each  year,  and  it 
now  remains  to  be  said  that  they  should  be  fully  utilised. 
They  range  in  height  from  2^  to  3^  feet,  but  in  soil  that 
has  not  been  too  liberally  enriched  with  manure  the 
majority  of  the  varieties  grow  to  a  height  of  three  feet,  form 
neat  bushes,  and  produce  a  profusion  of  flowers  extending 
over  a  period  of  eight  or  ten  weeks,  according  to  the 


PLANTING    POMPONS  51 

strength  of  the  plants  when  put  out,  and  the  character  of  the 
season.  Strong  plants  that  have  been  grown  on  in  5-inch 
pots  will  come  into  bloom  two  or  three  weeks  in  advance 
of  those  which  are  kept  throughout  in  3-inch  pots,  and 
there  will  be  much  the  same  difference  in  the  time  of 
flowering  between  plants  growing  in  moderately  rich  and 
heavily  manured  soils.  They  are  highly  effective  grown 
in  beds  in  open  positions,  and  planted  about  30  inches 
apart ;  but  they  probably  appear  to  the  greatest  advantage 
when  judiciously  associated  with  hardy  and  other  plants 
in  the  mixed  border.  In  borders  they  may  be  arranged  in 
groups  of  three  plants  of  one  variety  or  singly.  The 
groups  and  plants  should  be  from  7  to  10  feet  apart  as 
may  be  preferred,  and  so  arranged  they  are  of  immense 
value  for  maintaining  the  attractions  of  borders  after  the 
hardy  plants  flowering  early  in  the  summer  have  lost  much 
of  their  beauty. 

Although  not  largely  grown  by  amateurs  with  gardens  of 
comparatively  small  size,  this  type  of  Dahlia  is  especially 
adapted  to  their  requirements.  Dwarf  in  growth  and  free  in 
flowering,  the  plants  thrive  in  the  conditions  that  obtain  in 
and  near  towns,  and  it  is  surprising  that  amateurs  who  are 
interested  in  Dahlias,  but  from  an  insufficiency  of  space 
are  unable  to  cultivate  the  show  and  cactus  varieties  with 
success,  do  not  grow  and  show  the  pompons. 

There  is  no  occasion,  whether  in  town  or  country,  to 
make  strenuous  endeavour  to  obtain  blooms  of  the  largest 
possible  size.  For  a  considerable  period  this  was  done,  and 
blooms  were  sometimes  staged  that  suggested  show  blooms 
grown  in  ordinary  conditions  ;  but  the  practice  has  changed, 
and  perfection  of  form  and  proper  development  of  colour 


52      PRESENT-DAY    GARDENING 

are  the  chief  points  in  determining  the  relative  merits  of  the 
pompon  flowers.  .- 


EIGHTEEN   POMPON   DAHLIAS  FOR  EXHIBI- 
TION AND  GARDEN  DECORATION 

Adelaide :  Blush  margined  with  rose.     Very  distinct. 

Clarence :  Maroon-crimson.    A  small  flower,  of  fine  form. 

Cyril :  Rich  crimson.     Free  and  very  distinct. 

Daisy  :  Amber  suffused  with  salmon. 

Douglas :  Maroon-crimson. 

Edith  Bryant  (see  Plate  VI) :  Soft  yellow  edged  with 
crimson.  Very  attractive. 

Florence :  Lilac.     A  very  small  flower  of  fine  form. 

Glow  :  Rich  coral-red,  distinct  and  effective. 

Ideal  (see  Plate  VI)  :  Bright  yellow.  Small  deep 
flowers. 

Kate  Greenaway  :  Amber  with  deep  red  zone. 

Mars:  Bright  scarlet.  Flower  of  medium  size  and 
good  form. 

Little  Donald :  Rich  crimson.     Small  and  of  fine  shape. 

Montague  Wotten :  White  edged  with  crimson  lake ; 
very  pleasing. 

Nellie  Broomhead  (see  Plate  VI)  :  Richly  suffused  mauve 
on  a  light  ground. 

Nerissa  :  Soft  silvery-rose.     Very  distinct  and  good. 

Queen  of  Whites :  Pure  white. 

Selma  :  Buff  with  shading  of  deeper  tint. 

Tommy  Keith  :  Cardinal  red  tipped  with  white. 


CHAPTER   VII 
P^ONY-FLOWERED   DAHLIAS 

OWING  to  the  fact  that  Dahlias  of  this  type  produce 
flowers  of  the  largest  size  with  irregularly  formed  and 
loosely  arranged  florets,  and  rich  and  varied  colouring  with 
bright  yellow  centres  characteristic  of  herbaceous  paeonies, 
they  have  become  known  as  "  paeony  flowered."  A  more 
appropriate  name  could  not  well  have  been  chosen  for  them, 
for  to  those  who  are  acquainted  with  the  herbaceous  paeony 
in  its  varied  forms  it  clearly  expresses  the  predominating 
features  of  the  flowers,  and  it  has  also  the  merit  of  being 
short  and  easily  remembered.  The  flowers  of  the  numerous 
varieties  now  in  cultivation  exhibit  a  remarkable  diversity  in 
form.  Many  of  them  have  florets  that  are  gracefully  curled, 
some  possess  florets  that  not  only  vary  in  shape  but  also  in 
size,  and  all  are  more  or  less  beautiful,  and  make  a  strong 
appeal  to  those  who  specially  appreciate  flowers  that 
suggest  the  hand  of  nature  rather  than  of  man  in  their 
making. 

Introduced  by  Messrs.  Copyn  &  Son  of  Groenekan,  the 
paeony-flowered  Dahlias  were  presented  to  public  notice  at 
the  exhibitions  held  in  London  and  on  the  Continent  during 
the  autumn  of  1905,  and  their  quaint  and  fantastic  forms 
secured  for  them  a  large  share  of  attention.  At  Paris, 
Diisseldorf,  and  elsewhere  on  the  Continent  they  received 

53 


54     PRESENT-DAY    GARDENING 

numerous  awards,  but  in  London  opinions  were  divided  as 
to  their  merits,  and  of  those  who  first  saw  them  but  few 
were  impressed  in  their  favour.  Since  their  first  appearance 
in  this  country  they  have  been  largely  shown  by  English 
growers  in  a  manner  that  has  brought  into  prominence 
their  distinctive  characteristics,  and  they  have  attained  to 
a  high  degree  of  popularity.  Especially  are  they  regarded 
with  much  favour  by  those  who  are  responsible  for  the 
management  of  public  parks  and  large  private  gardens,  in 
which,  by  reason  of  their  bold  habit  and  attractive  flowers, 
they  are  of  much  value. 

With  greater  staying  powers  when  cut,  the  flowers 
would  be  most  useful  for  bold  decorations  in  the  house,  and 
it  is  much  to  be  desired  that  raisers  will  make  strong  efforts 
to  improve  them  in  this  respect.  Individually  the  blooms, 
notwithstanding  their  large  size,  are  right  and  elegant,  and 
the  pure  whites,  soft  yellows,  bright  pinks,  and  brilliant  reds 
can  be  readily  arranged  to  form  the  most  tasteful  combina- 
tions ;  but  it  is  tantalising  to  find  them  drooping  and  pre- 
senting an  exhausted  appearance  before  the  close  of  the 
festivities  or  the  exhibition  as  the  case  may  be.  An  increase 
in  the  substance  of  the  florets  would  greatly  improve 
matters,  but  even  at  the  present  the  staying  powers  of  the 
blooms  could  be  easily  increased  by  cultivators  and  those 
who  use  the  flowers  for  decorations.  Instead  of  cutting 
them  when  fully  developed,  and  it  may  be  after  they 
have  been  exposed  to  brilliant  sunshine  for  some  time  and 
carried  in  the  hand  or  basket  until  sufficient  have  been 
obtained,  the  following  method  of  procedure  should  be 
adopted.  Cut  the  flowers  quite  early  in  the  morning,  when 
on  the  point  of  expanding,  and  have  at  hand  a  small  pail  or 


PLATE   V 
SINGLE   DAHLIAS 


MRS.  JOYNSON   HICKS 


CARDINAL 


ARRANGEMENT    IN    GARDEN     57 

other  vessel  partly  filled  with  water ;  in  this  put  the  stalk 
of  each  flower  immediately  it  is  cut.  When  this  is  done 
the  stems  immediately  become  charged  with  water,  and  the 
flowers  open  gradually,  without  having  appreciably  suffered 
from  the  change  involved  in  detaching  them  from  the 
plants.  It  is  also  important  to  remember  that  flowers  pro- 
duced by  plants  growing  in  soil  that  has  been  only  mode- 
rately enriched  with  manure  will  retain  their  freshness  when 
cut  for  a  longer  period  than  those  obtained  from  beds  or 
borders  that  have  been  heavily  manured. 

For  beautifying  the  garden  the  usefulness  of  the  paeony- 
flowered  Dahlias  is  generally  admitted,  and  the  question  that 
has  to  be  considered  is  really  their  suitability  for  various 
gardens  and  positions.  Their  robust  habit  renders  them 
of  more  value  for  large  gardens  than  for  those  of  modest 
dimensions,  but  there  is  some  diversity  in  the  habit  of  the 
varieties,  and  there  need  be  no  difficulty  in  making  selections 
suitable  for  both  large  and  small  gardens  and  for  different 
positions  in  either.  Improvements  have  been  effected  since 
the  earlier  introductions,  not  only  in  the  form  and  colour 
of  the  flowers  but  also  in  the  habit  of  the  plants.  English 
growers  quickly  recognised  the  desirability  of  a  reduction 
in  the  height  of  growth,  and  varieties  have  been  introduced 
that  do  not  exceed  3  feet.  Some  of  the  varieties  attain 
a  height  of  6,  7,  or  8  feet,  and  these  are  best  suited  for 
associating  with  tall-growing  hardy  and  other  plants  in 
spacious  borders.  They  may  be  arranged  with  the  plants 
or  used  for  forming  a  background  to  them.  In  large,  open 
spaces  the  tall  growers  are  singularly  effective  in  beds  of  the 
size  equivalent  to  10  or  n  feet  in  diameter,  but  it  is 
necessary  to  remember  that  if  the  position  is  much  exposed 


58      PRESENT-DAY    GARDENING 

there  is  some  risk  of  injury  to  the  plants  from  westerly 
gales.  Varieties  ranging  from  4  to  6  feet  in  height  are 
the  most  suitable  for  beds  in  large  gardens,  and  for  gardens 
of  medium  and  small  dimensions  plants  from  3  to  5  feet 
are  preferable  for  both  beds  and  borders.  As  some  of 
the  most  attractive  varieties  exceed  that  height,  difficulty 
will  be  experienced  in  excluding  them  from  selections,  and 
therefore  it  will  be  well  to  bear  in  mind  that  the  tallest 
varieties  should  in  such  cases  be  utilised  in  furnishing 
borders.  From  3  to  4  feet  will  be  a  good  distance 
to  allow  the  plants  when  grown  in  beds  and  borders  wholly 
devoted  to  them,  the  exact  distance  being  determined  by 
the  height  of  the  varieties  and  the  character  of  the  soil. 
In  the  mixed  border  from  8  to  10  feet  will  be  a  good 
distance  at  which  to  put  them  apart,  it  not  being  advisable 
to  allow  them  to  greatly  predominate  over  the  other  kinds. 

As  in  the  case  of  other  classes  of  Dahlias  grown  for  the 
production  of  colour  effects  in  the  garden,  it  is  essential 
that  the  soil  be  not  heavily  manured,  for  an  excess  of 
plant  food  promotes  a  stout,  soft,  and  leafy  growth  but 
few  flowers,  and  these  flowers  of  so  large  a  size  that  the 
stems  are  unequal  to  the  task  of  carrying  them  above 
the  leaves.  In  the  case  of  soils  that  are  rich  from  heavy 
dressings  of  manure  applied  in  the  previous  year,  a  dressing 
of  newly-slaked  lime  will  suffice,  the  quantity  to  apply  being 
as  much  as  will  whiten  the  surface.  If  the  soil  is  only 
moderately  rich,  dress  it  with  sufficient  decomposed  farm- 
yard manure  to  form  a  layer  about  3  inches  in  thickness. 
Should  it  be  more  or  less  impoverished  or  light  and  sandy, 
about  double  the  quantity  may  be  used,  the  object  in 
modifying  the  manurial  applications  according  to  the 


VARIETIES    FOR    EXHIBITION     59 

character  of  the  soil  being  to  supply  the  plants  with  just 
sufficient  food  to  enable  them  to,,  make  a  moderately  vigor- 
ous growth  throughout  the  season  and  no  more. 


TWELVE  P>EONY-FLOWERED  VARIETIES 
FOR  EXHIBITION  AND  GARDEN  DECORA- 
TION 

Bertha  Von  Suttner :  Salmon-pink  suffused  with  yellow. 

Durban  :  Yellow  shaded  with  rose. 

Holman  Hunt :  Crimson  shaded  with  scarlet. 

Liberty :  Bright  scarlet. 

Merveille  :  Rose  shaded  with  yellow. 

Mrs.  George  Gordon  :  Cream-white.  A  large  flower  with 
long  stem. 

Mrs.  J.  B.  Riding :  Deep  scarlet.  A  large  and  attractive 
flower. 

Norah  Lindsay :  Of  charming  dove  colour  suffused  with 
pink. 

Ruskin  :  Pink  striped  and  suffused  crimson. 

South  Pole :  White. 

The  Geisha  (see  Plate  VII)  :  Orange-red  and  yellow. 
A  large  flower  ;  very  effective  in  the  garden. 

Titian  :  Blush  white  suffused  with  rose. 


CHAPTER  VIII 
DECORATIVE    DAHLIAS 

THE  Dahlias  popularly  known  as  decorative  varieties  have 
been  often  described  as  flowers  that  do  not  conform  to  the 
standard  of  any  recognised  sections  but  yet  are  sufficiently 
attractive  forjcultivation.  This  somewhat  vague  description 
served  its  purpose  very  well  when  the  number  of  varieties 
was  small  and  a  proportion  of  them — such,  for  instance,  as 
the  brilliantly  coloured  Glare  of  the  Garden — had  belonged 
to  the  distant  past ;  but  with  largely  increased  numbers  it 
would  be  well  were  an  endeavour  made  to  adopt  a  standard 
that  would  indicate  the  characteristics  of  the  section  and 
thus  serve  as  a  guide  to  both  cultivators  and  raisers.  It 
is  generally  understood  that  the  blooms  should  be  double, 
with  broad  and  more  or  less  flat  florets  with  rounded  or 
pointed  tips,  but  in  the  preparation  of  a  code  of  properties 
to  which  exhibitors  and  judges  would  have  to  give  their 
adherence  considerable  latitude  must  be  allowed.  Unless 
this  is  done  several  varieties  of  much  merit  will  be  ex- 
cluded, as  for  example  the  stately  Grand  Due  Alexis  with 
its  fluted  or  rolled  up  florets,  and  the  elegant  Admiration, 
which  has  large  flowers  with  broad  florets  that  are  so  grace- 
fully curved  as  to  suggest  a  close  relationship  with  the 
paeony-flowered  section. 

The  decorative  Dahlias  have  been  introduced  at  periods 

60 


THEIR    ORIGIN  61 

extending  over  a  long  time.  A  few  of  the  varieties  take  us 
back  sixty  or  seventy  years,  while  others  have  been  raised 
and  distributed  since  the  commencement  of  the  present 
century.  Some  of  the  varieties  in  general  cultivation  had 
their  origin  in  batches  of  seedlings  raised  from  seed  saved 
from  show  Dahlias,  and  were  selected  because  of  their 
effectiveness  in  the  garden.  These  were  mostly  introduced 
to  cultivation  soon  after  the  favour  shown  the  cactus 
Dahlia  had  made  it  quite  clear  that  the  trend  of  the  public 
taste  was  in  the  direction  of  a  fuller  appreciation  of  Dahlias 
less  formal  than  the  show  section  which  had  for  so  long 
a  period  occupied  a  predominant  position.  Since  the 
general  recognition  of  decorative  Dahlias  has  encouraged 
raisers  to  distribute  new  varieties  they  have  adopted  a 
systematic  method  of  improving  them,  and  such  progress 
has  been  made  as  to  justify  the  anticipation  that  the  section 
will  in  due  course  become  of  considerable  importance. 

The  giant  decorative  varieties  which  form  a  distinct  and 
for  some  purposes  useful  group  are  of  continental  origin, 
and  the  earlier  varieties  were  introduced  to  this  country  at 
the  close  of  the  nineteenth  century.  The  varieties  that 
produce  large  flowers  with  broad,  flat  florets  like  those  of 
Souvenir  de  Gustave  Douzon  were  raised  in  France,  and 
Grand  Due  Alexis,  with  its  huge  blooms  composed  of  rolled 
or  fluted  florets,  with  one  or  two  others,  originated  in 
Germany.  They  have  not  attained  to  a  very  high  degree  of 
popularity  ;  not  one  of  the  varieties  has  obtained  recognition 
from  either  of  the  societies  that  make  awards  to  novelties, 
and  seldom  are  blooms  seen  at  the  exhibitions  of  the 
societies  directly  associated  with  Dahlias.  Notwithstanding 
the  fact  that  they  have  not  been  regarded  with  much  favour 


62      PRESENT-DAY    GARDENING 

by  cultivators  generally,  they  are  popular  with  some,  and 
there  can  be  no  question  as  to  their  great  value  in  the 
production  of  rich  colour  effects  in  gardens  of  large  size. 
In  some  of  the  public  parks  and  gardens  they  have  been 
utilised  with  much  success,  and  the  large  beds  and  groups 
in  the  borders  have  proved  very  attractive.  They  are  better 
suited  to  the  conditions  that  obtain  in  large  gardens  than 
smaller  ones,  but  a  few  plants  may  with  advantage  be 
planted  along  the  back  of  mixed  borders  in  gardens  of 
limited  size  because  of  their  distinctness  and  the  display 
of  colour  they  produce. 

Decorative  Dahlias  vary  much  in  their  habits  of  growth. 
Some,  like  the  invaluable,  white  bedding  variety  Kaiserin  A. 
Victoria,  do  not  exceed  a  height  of  2  feet,  whilst  others 
grow  to  6  or  more  feet.  There  is  also  a  material  differ- 
ence in  the  size  of  the  flowers ;  those  of  Souvenir  de 
Gustave  Douzon  attaining  a  diameter  of  6  or  7  inches 
even  when  given  ordinary  garden  cultivation.  It  will 
thus  be  seen  that  in  making  a  selection  care  must  be  taken 
to  choose  varieties  specially  suitable  for  the  furnishing  of 
large  beds  on  the  lawn  and  the  formation  of  bold  groups 
in  borders  devoted  to  hardy  or  other  flowers  in  large 
gardens.  In  gardens  of  all  sizes  a  few  plants  arranged 
singly  among  low-growing  shrubs  that  are  planted  rather 
thinly  will  materially  enhance  the  appearance  of  the 
shrubbery  border  and  give  additional  interest  to  the 
garden.  When  thus  grown,  from  5  or  6  feet  apart 
will  be  a  good  distance  at  which  to  plant  the  Dahlias,  as 
there  will  then  be  no  danger  of  them  crowding  the  shrubs 
to  their  injury. 

Decorative  varieties  of  a  less  robust  habit  may  be  grown 


STRONG-GROWING    VARIETIES     63 

in  beds  and  borders  in  precisely  the  same  manner  as  the 
giants,  except  that  they  are  not  so  suitable  for  forming 
a  background  to  tall  plants.  In  the  mixed  borders  and 
arranged  singly  or  in  groups  consisting  of  two  or  three 
plants  each  along  the  middle  of  the  border  and  about  7 
feet  apart  they  produce  a  good  effect.  As  the  plants  have 
a  tendency  to  make  a  vigorous  growth  but  little  assistance 
from  manurial  matter  will  be  necessary.  It  will  really  be 
better  not  to  give  manure  to  the  borders  than  to  apply  it  in 
excess  of  requirement,  as  compact-growing  plants  bearing 
a  profusion  of  flowers  on  stiff  stems  are  to  be  desired,  and 
not  great  masses  of  foliage  with  but  few  blooms  of  an 
exceptional  size. 

But  varieties  that  are  dwarf  in  growth  and  profuse 
in  flowering  like  Kaiserin  A.  Victoria  and  Glare  of  the 
Garden  should  have  a  liberally  manured  soil,  otherwise 
they  will  become  exhausted  by  flower  production  before 
the  autumn.  They  are  most  effective  when  grown  in 
beds  of  varying  sizes  and  along  the  front  of  the  mixed 
border,  and  if  the  plants  are  strong  when  put  out  they 
will  bloom  freely  and  continuously  from  about  the  middle 
of  July  until  cut  down  by  the  frost.  Two  feet  will  be  a 
good  distance  at  which  to  put  them  apart. 

TWELVE  GIANT  DECORATIVE  VARIETIES 
FOR  EXHIBITION  AND  GARDEN  DECORATION 

Attraction  :  Maroon  with  white  tips. 
Delice :  Rich  rose-pink.     Distinct  and  of  great  beauty. 
Grand  Due  Alexis:    White    tipped   with   rose.      This 
flower  has  fluted  florets. 


64      PRESENT-DAY    GARDENING 

Le  Colosse :  Salmon-red.  The  florets  are  very  broad  and 
the  flower  is  unusually  effective. 

Loveliness :  Deep  pink  shading  to  white.  Very  beauti- 
ful. 

Madame  A.  Nonin  :  Pale  pink.     Very  pleasing. 

Papa  Channel :  Rich  crimson-maroon. 

Phenomene  :  Bright  salmon.     Very  distinct. 

Queen  Mary  :  Rose-pink.     Very  fine. 

Souvenir  de  Gustave  Douzon :  Orange-scarlet.  A  large 
flower  with  broad  florets. 

Yellow  Colosse :  Deep  yellow  with  broad  florets. 

Souvenir  de  Chalonne :  Yellow  suffused  with  red, 
collerette  pale  yellow. 

TWELVE  DECORATIVE  DAHLIAS  FOR 
GARDEN  DECORATION 

Cannell's  Favourite :  Yellow  suffused  with  bronze. 

Countess  of  Pembroke:  Pale  lilac.  Distinct  and  very 
pleasing. 

Claribel :  Rosy-purple.     Very  effective. 

Glare  of  the  Garden :  Orange-scarlet.  Very  free  and 
effective. 

Empress  of  India  :  Maroon-crimson.  Useful  for  its  deep 
colour. 

Kaiserin  Augusta  Victoria :  White,  dwarf,  wondrously 
free  flowering,  the  best  bedding  Dahlia  yet  introduced. 

Kriemhilda :  Soft  rose-pink.  Distinct  and  free  flower- 
ing. 

M aid  of  Kent :  Crimson  tipped  with  white. 

Mrs.  C.  Turner :  Bright  yellow.     Large,  and  very  free. 


DECORATIVE    DAHLIAS          65 

Orange  Glare  of  the  Garden  :  Orange-red.  Very  free  and 
showy. 

Princess  Juliana  :  Pure  white.  Very  free,  and  valuable 
for  the  supply  of  cut  flowers. 

Salisbury  White :  Pure  white.  Of  medium  size,  with 
short,  pointed  florets. 


CHAPTER   IX 
COLLERETTE    DAHLIAS 

THE  varieties  belonging  to  this  section  are  distinguished 
from  all  others  by  having  a  frill  of  short,  erect  florets 
around  the  central  disc,  which  gives  the  blooms  a  distinct 
and  pleasing  appearance  and  the  section  its  distinctive 
name.  These  florets  are  really  an  amplification  of  the 
outer  row  belonging  to  the  disc,  and  upon  their  develop- 
ment and  colour  the  merits  of  a  variety  largely  depend. 
Practically  collerette  varieties  are  single  Dahlias  with  the 
addition  of  the  frill  or  collar  of  erect  florets,  therefore  the 
blossoms  should  be  stout  in  substance  and  regular  in 
outline,  and  the  collar  full  and  the  colour  in  harmony  or 
pleasing  contrast  with  the  ray  florets. 

The  history  of  the  section  extends  over  so  short  a 
period  that  it  may  be  briefly  stated.  In  the  year  1899,  in 
the  municipal  gardens  of  the  Pare  de  la  Tete  d'Or,  Lyons, 
two  Dahlia  plants  produced  sports  bearing  blossoms  with 
abnormal  florets  around  the  disc.  These  sports  in  due 
course  became  fixed  and  were  propagated,  and  in  1901  they 
were  distributed  as  "  Collerette  "  Dahlias  by  Messrs.  Rivoire 
and  Son,  Lyons,  under  the  names  of  President  Viger  and 
Joseph  Goujon.  Since  the  introduction  of  these  two 
sports  many  excellent  varieties  of  the  same  class  have  been 
raised  from  seed  and  introduced  to  cultivation,  but  it  was 

66 


FRENCH    VARIETIES  67 

not  until  1910  that  the  collerette  Dahlias  received  in  this 
country  the  attention  they  so  well  merit.  The  interest  that 
was  shown  in  them  in  the  autumn  of  1912  seemed  to 
promise  a  wonderful  future  for  this  type  of  Dahlia.  Both 
the  French  and  German  raisers  have  shown  activity  in 
the  improvement  of  these  varieties,  and  proceeding  on 
divergent  lines,  they  have  achieved  much  success.  The 
French  varieties  have  flowers  of  great  substance  with  broad 
florets  rounded  at  the  tips  so  regularly  arranged  as  to  form  a 
complete  circle  ;  those  which  had  their  origin  in  Germany 
bear  flowers  with  rather  thin,  pointed  florets.  This  slight 
falling  off  in  substance  and  form  has  ample  compensation 
in  the  distinct  and  beautiful  shades  of  colour,  and  in  the 
brightness  of  the  blooms.  The  majority  of  cultivators  will 
probably  prefer  the  more  formal  French  flowers  because 
of  the  greater  substance  and  richer  colours,  and  to  ex- 
hibitors their  greater  staying  qualities  will  be  an  advantage. 
The  average  size  of  the  blooms  of  the  collerette  Dahlias 
exceeds  that  of  the  singles,  and  it  does  not  appear  desirable 
their  size  should  further  increase  because  of  the  risk  of  their 
stems  not  possessing  sufficient  strength  to  bear  them  erect, 
a  point  of  much  importance  both  in  the  garden  and  when 
cut.  The  chief  points  to  which  raisers  should  give  their 
attention  are  the  improvement  in  the  florets  around  the  disc 
and  in  obtaining  greater  uniformity  in  development  and  a 
wider  range  of  colours. 

Most  of  the  varieties  of  moderate  height  have  a  free, 
branching  habit  and  bloom  very  freely ;  they  also  possess 
in  a  marked  degree  the  merit  of  bearing  their  flowers  well 
above  the  foliage.  This  attribute,  combined  with  attractive 
colouring,  renders  the  type  of  much  value  for  the  garden. 


68      PRESENT-DAY    GARDENING 

In  general  character  the  collerette  Dahlias  approach  most 
closely  the  singles,  and  the  sections  may  be  successfully 
grown  in  the  same  conditions.  The  soil  should  in  all  cases  be 
deeply  dug  and  well  broken  up,  and  be  moderately  enriched 
with  well-decomposed  farmyard  or  stable  manure.  For  beds 
and  borders  in  which  they  are  to  be  grown  for  decorative 
effect  a  light  dressing  will  suffice  to  maintain  the  growth 
essential  to  the  continuous  succession  of  flowers.  They 
are  admirably  adapted  for  associating  with  other  classes  of 
plants,  and  may  be  planted  singly  or  in  groups  of  three,  the 
latter  method  being  the  more  effective  in  borders  ranging 
from  8  to  10  feet  in  width.  A  border  wholly  devoted  to 
them  will  form  an  attractive  and  interesting  feature,  as 
indeed  will  a  spacious  bed  on  the  lawn.  When  grown  in 
beds  and  borders  wholly  devoted  to  them  the  plants  should 
be  arranged  from  3  to  3^  feet  apart.  As  in  the  case  of  the 
singles,  the  flower  heads  must  be  removed  within  a  short 
time  of  the  florets  losing  their  beauty,  the  plants  being 
examined  for  this  purpose  at  regular  intervals.  The  old 
flower  heads  are  not  only  unsightly,  but  seed  development 
imposes  so  severe  a  tax  upon  the  plants  as  to  materially 
check  their  growth. 


EIGHTEEN  COLLERETTE   DAHLIAS  FOR  EX- 
HIBITION AND  GARDEN  DECORATION 

Albert  Maumene  :  Bright  mauve,  collerette  pale  lilac. 
Antwerpia  :  Deep  red  with  yellow  collerette. 
Burgomaster  Seifurth  :  Bright  crimson  with  yellow  coller- 
ette. 


FOR    EXHIBITION  69 

Comtesse  Dugon :  White  marked  with  purple,  collerette 
white. 

Diadem  :  Deep  but  bright  rose  with  light  rose  collerette. 

Diamant :  Rose  with  lighter  collerette. 

Gallia  (see  Plate  VIII)  :  Cream  colour  shaded  with  rose, 
collerette  cream-white. 

Exposition  de  Lyon  :  Cerise,  collerette  white  and  rose. 

Henri  Farman :  Bright  red  margined  with  primrose, 
collerette  soft  yellow. 

Ideal :  Deep  crimson  with  yellow  collerette. 

Maurice  Rivoire :  Bright  crimson  with  white  collerette. 

Madame  F.  G.  Bruant :  Rose-purple  with  white  coller- 
ette. 

Madame  Le  Page  Vigier :  Rich  scarlet  with  yellow 
collerette. 

Madame  Pairier :  Magenta  with  white  collerette. 

Meteor :  Deep  crimson  with  white  collerette. 

Princess  Louise :  Deep  crimson  with  yellow  collerette. 

Rheinkrone :  Maroon  with  white  collerette  edged  with  red. 

Souvenir  de  Chabonne :  Yellow  suffused  with  crimson 
and  tipped  white,  collerette  yellow. 


CHAPTER  X 

METHODS   OF    PROPAGATION 

THE  propagation  of  Dahlias  is  really  a  very  simple  matter, 
but  in  the  raising  of  stocks  of  these,  as  of  most  other  classes 
of  plants,  the  details  have  to  be  clearly  understood  before 
the  simplicity  of  the  method  adopted  becomes  obvious. 
Therefore  those  who  are  inexperienced  in  the  art  of  cultivat- 
ing Dahlias  should  be  careful  to  become  well  acquainted 
with  the  several  methods  of  increase  and  the  culture  for 
which  they  are  best  suited,  and  so  avoid  unnecessary  trouble 
and  failure.  The  information  essential  to  obtaining  satis- 
factory results  in  propagation  will  be  found  in  this  chapter. 
To  begin  well  is  a  point  of  much  importance,  and  this 
fact  was  recognised  not  less  clearly  by  the  past  generation 
of  cultivators  than  by  the  most  successful  growers  at  the 
present  time.  We  have  abundant  proof  of  this  in  the 
periodic  literature  of  past  days,  in  which  Dahlias  and  their 
cultivation  received  a  full  share  of  attention.  Again  and 
again  we  find  the  old  writers  urging  their  readers  to  so 
carry  out  the  earlier  details  that  the  plants  will  be  able  to 
make  a  good  start  when  transferred  to  beds  and  borders, 
and  will  not  have  to  make  up  for  time  lost  in  the  preparatory 
stage.  A  good  beginning  as  generally  understood  by 
Dahlia  growers  is  the  provision  of  a  stock  of  strong  plants 


GROWTH    UNDER    GLASS         71 

with  firm,  short-jointed  growth  for  planting  out  at  the  end 
of  May,  or  a  week  or  so  earlier  if  the  district,  situation,  and 
soil  will  admit  of  this  being  done  with  safety. 

There  are  three  methods  by  which  Dahlia  stocks  may 
be  annually  renewed  or  increased  in  accordance  with 
individual  requirements,  and  it  is  advisable  to  give  their 
relative  advantages  and  disadvantages  due  consideration. 

The  first  is  simply  starting  the  roots  into  growth  under 
glass  early  in  the  spring  and  then  growing  them  on  with  no 
other  manipulation  of  the  several  shoots  except  reducing 
them  to  two  or  three,  the  smaller  number  being  preferable, 
and  planting  them  intact.  The  renewal  of  the  stock  in 
this  manner  has  much  to  recommend  it  to  those  who  grow 
Dahlias  exclusively  for  garden  decoration,  and  while  anxious 
to  raise  the  plants  required  at  home  have  no  convenience 
for  rooting  cuttings,  or  are  unable  to  devote  the  necessary 
attention  to  them.  Plants  raised  from  the  old  tubers  in 
this  manner  commence  to  bloom  earlier  than  those  raised 
from  cuttings  in  the  usual  way,  and  when  they  are  grown 
wholly  for  garden  decoration  this  point  is  worthy  of  con- 
sideration, more  especially  in  the  case  of  many  of  the 
cactus  varieties.  As  a  set-off  to  the  advantage  of  prolonging 
the  season  of  flowering  it  must  be  said  that  the  blooms  are 
not,  as  a  rule,  of  so  high  a  quality  as  those  borne  by  plants 
raised  from  cuttings  ;  and  should  the  season  be  open,  and  the 
period  of  flowering  extended  longer  than  is  usual,  some 
flowers  will,  late  in  autumn,  exhibit  open  centres. 

In  raising  plants  by  this  method  of  procedure  the  roots 
are  removed  from  the  shed,  loft,  or  cellar  in  which  they 
have  been  wintered  at  the  end  of  February  or  quite  early 
in  March  and  put  in  pots  that  are  6  inches  in  diameter. 


72      PRESENT-DAY    GARDENING 

The  pots  should  have  a  few  crocks  placed  in  the  bottom, 
with  a  layer  of  some  loose  material  such  as  the  rougher 
part  of  the  compost,  to  prevent  the  fine  soil  working  down 
between  the  crocks  and  interfering  with  the  escape  of  the 
surplus  water.  Generally  speaking  the  roots  will  be  too 
large  to  admit  of  their  being  put  into  pots  of  the  size  men- 
tioned without  being  previously  reduced.  To  effect  the 
necessary  reduction  shorten  the  tubers  to  about  one-half 
their  length  by  a  cut  made  at  right  angles  and  leave  them 
fully  exposed  in  the  greenhouse  or  frame  for  two  or  three 
days  to  give  time  for  the  cut  ends  to  become  dry  before  pro- 
ceeding to  put  them  in  pots.  In  carrying  out  the  last-named 
detail  use  turfy  loam  to  which  decayed  stable  manure  has 
been  added  in  the  proportion  of  one  part  to  each  five  parts 
of  loam.  If  manure  of  the  description  mentioned  is  not 
available,  use  instead  bone  meal  at  the  rate  of  one  5-inch 
flowerpotful  to  a  bushel  of  soil.  Should  it  be  desired  to 
increase  the  stock  beyond  the  number  of  tubers  available, 
turn  the  plants  out  of  the  pots  when  the  young  shoots  are 
about  3  inches  long  and  divide  them  into  two  or  three  portions, 
preferably  two,  and  then  put  them  into  6-inch  pots.  Some 
trouble  may  be  saved  without  any  accompanying  disadvan- 
tage by  starting  the  tubers  that  are  to  be  divided  in  shallow 
boxes  with  any  light  soil  that  may  be  available  packed  about 
them.  When  so  started  they  can  on  the  shoots  reaching 
the  length  mentioned  be  lifted  out  of  the  box,  divided,  and 
put  into  pots  6  inches  in  diameter.  The  tubers  must  be 
shortened  before  they  are  put  into  the  boxes,  and  a  compost 
similar  to  that  already  advised  be  used.  Provided  the  soil 
be  moderately  moist  when  the  tubers  are  potted  or  boxed, 
very  little  water  will  be  required  except  an  occasional 


PLATE   VI 
POMPON   DAHLIAS 


NELLIE   BROOMHEAD 


IDEAL 


EDITH  BRYANT 


A    SECOND    METHOD  75 

spraying  overhead  until  the  young  shoots  are  pushing 
freely. 

The  second  of  the  methods  of  propagating  Dahlias  is  by 
means  of  cuttings,  and  where  the  conveniences  exist  for 
rooting  them  it  is  unquestionably  the  best  of  the  three 
systems.  With  the  aid  of  a  glass  structure  in  which  a 
temperature  of  65°  and  a  bottom  heat  of  70°  can  be  main- 
tained there  is  no  difficulty  whatever  in  rooting  cuttings, 
and  plants  so  raised  can  with  ordinary  good  culture  be 
depended  upon  to  produce  blooms  of  high  quality.  They 
may  not  come  into  flower  quite  so  early  as  those  grown 
directly  from  the  old  tubers,  but,  following  the  advice  here 
given  for  shifting  the  young  plants  into  6-inch  pots  when 
well  rooted,  and  growing  them  in  such  manner  as  to  ensure 
their  acquiring  strength,  there  will  not  be  a  great  difference 
in  the  date  of  flowering  of  given  varieties.  Lateness  of 
flowering  is  in  most  cases  due  to  keeping  the  plants  in 
small  pots  from  the  time  of  their  rooting  until  they  are 
transferred  to  their  summer  quarters  and  the  leeway  they 
have  to  make  up  when  they  have  become  established 
therein. 

An  ideal  structure  for  raising  stocks  of  Dahlias,  and 
indeed  many  other  classes  of  plants  that  are  increased  by 
means  of  spring-struck  cuttings,  is  a  span  roof  house  about 
10  feet  wide  and  of  a  length  proportionate  to  the  require- 
ments of  the  garden.  This  should  have  a  3  feet  walk 
down  the  centre  and  beds  3^  feet  wide  on  either  side, 
and  one  of  these  should  be  provided  with  two  4-inch 
hot -water  pipes  underneath  to  furnish  the  necessary 
bottom  heat.  There  should  also  be  two  pipes  close  to 
the  wall  on  either  side.  The  bottom  of  the  bed  over  the 


76      PRESENT-DAY    GARDENING 

hot-water  pipes  should  be  formed  with  some  strong  material 
that  will  allow  the  heat  from  the  pipes  to  pass  through  it — 
such,  for  example,  as  slate  slabs  or  corrugated  galvanised 
iron — and  on  this  make  a  bed  of  sand  or  other  loose  material 
in  which  to  plunge  the  cutting  pots.  In  a  structure 
arranged  as  here  advised  the  Dahlias  or  other  plants  can  be 
started  into  growth  on  one  side  and  their  cuttings  rooted 
on  the  other,  and  the  stage  unprovided  with  bottom  heat 
will  also  be  useful  for  the  accommodation  of  the  rooted 
cuttings  for  a  few  days  after  they  have  been  potted  off 
singly. 

In  thus  briefly  describing  what  may  be  considered  an 
ideal  structure  for  the  propagation  of  Dahlias  it  must  not 
be  understood  that  it  is  essential  to  success.  It  will  be 
found  simple  and  inexpensive  and  a  great  convenience,  but 
Dahlias  equal  to  the  requirements  of  a  large  garden  can  be 
raised  in  almost  any  house  in  which  a  temperature  of  about 
65°  is  maintained.  They  can  be  readily  rooted  in  a  warm 
pit  or  frame,  and  in  a  two-light  frame  placed  on  a  bed  of 
warm  leaves  several  hundred  plants  may  be  raised  in  the 
course  of  the  season  without  difficulty. 

The  best  time  to  commence  propagation  by  means  of 
cuttings  is  the  end  of  February,  and  the  roots  intended  for 
furnishing  supplies  should  be  put  in  boxes  or  pots  in  much 
the  same  manner  as  advised  for  starting  into  growth  those 
which  are  to  be  grown  on  with  or  without  being  divided. 
As  the  tubers  will  be  destroyed  when  they  have  yielded  the 
required  number  of  cuttings,  any  light  soil  will  be  suitable 
for  packing  about  the  roots  when  in  boxes  or  pots,  and  the 
former  are  preferable  because  of  the  saving  of  room  effected. 
To  avoid  any  mistakes  with  the  names  put  a  new  tally  to 


ROOTING    CUTTINGS  77 

each  of  the  roots  as  they  are  potted  or  boxed,  and  when  the 
roots  of  several  varieties  are  put  in  the  same  box  take  care 
to  avoid  mixing  the  cuttings.  Placed  in  a  house  in  which 
a  temperature  of  about  65°  is  maintained,  and  sprayed 
overhead  with  sufficient  frequency  to  maintain  a  moderate 
degree  of  moisture  about  them,  they  will  soon  start  into 
growth.  At  first  the  roots  may  be  sprayed  with  clear 
water  every  second  day,  but  at  the  end  of  the  first  week 
the  spraying  should  be  given  daily,  carried  out  late  in  the 
afternoon,  and  on  the  appearance  of  the  young  shoots 
they  may  be  watered  in  the  usual  way. 

Within  a  short  time  of  the  commencement  of  new 
growth  preparations  should  be  made  for  proceeding  with 
the  work  of  rooting  the  cuttings.  The  first  growths  when 
2  or  3  inches  in  length  will  present  so  promising  an 
appearance  that  the  inexperienced  will  not  hesitate  to  utilise 
them  for  the  increase  of  stock.  Some  growers  invariably 
take  advantage  of  such  aid  as  they  afford,  but  the  first  growths 
do  not  make  such  good  plants  as  the  later  ones,  and  should 
therefore  be  destroyed.  If  the  second  crop  of  growths  will 
afford  a  sufficient  supply  of  cuttings  they  should  be  taken 
off  close  to  the  tuber  by  means  of  a  knife.  These  will  have 
a  firm  base,  and  be  the  most  suitable  when  the  cuttings  have 
to  be  rooted  in  a  lower  temperature  than  that  suggested. 
If  the  number  will  not  be  sufficient  allow  them  to  attain  a 
length  of  3  inches.  Then  take  them  off  from  f  of  an 
inch  to  i  inch  above  the  tubers  with  a  view  to  avoid 
injury  to  the  buds  around  the  base  of  the  shoots.  These 
buds,  on  the  removal  of  the  growing  shoot,  will  soon  start 
into  active  growth,  and  in  due  course  the  resulting  shoots 
will  be  utilised  for  propagating  purposes. 


78      PRESENT-DAY    GARDENING 

In  the  preparation  of  cuttings  that  have  been  taken  off 
close  to  the  tuber  it  will  suffice  to  remove  the  lower  pair  of 
leaves,  but  in  the  case  of  the  others  cut  away  the  lower 
portion  of  the  stem  immediately  under  the  base  of  the  two 
lower  leaves,  which  must  then  be  cut  off  close  to  the  stem. 
The  cuttings  may  be  rooted  singly  in  2-inch  pots,  or  in 
threes  inserted  round  the  sides  of  3-inch  pots,  and  as  there 
is  some  economy  of  space  by  the  latter  method  it  is  prefer- 
able in  the  majority  of  private  gardens.  For  filling  the  cut- 
ting pots  use  a  rather  light  loam  of  good  quality  to  which 
sharp  silver  sand  has  been  added  in  the  proportion  of  one 
part  sand  to  five  parts  of  loam.  With  the  aid  of  a  blunt 
stick  insert  the  cuttings  at  such  depth  as  will  admit  of 
the  base  resting  on  the  soil  at  the  bottom  of  the  hole  and 
the  first  joint  being  level  with  the  surface.  As  the  pots  are 
filled  give  a  moderate  watering  through  a  fine  rose  and 
plunge  them  to  the  rim  in  the  hotbed,  the  temperature  of 
which  ought  not  to  exceed  70°.  The  subsequent  manage- 
ment consists  in  spraying  the  cuttings  once  or  twice  daily 
as  may  be  necessary  to  prevent  the  leaves  flagging,  screen- 
ing them  from  the  sun,  and  ventilating  with  sufficient 
freedom  to  maintain  a  fresh,  buoyant  atmosphere,  for  if  the 
atmosphere  is  allowed  to  become  close  and  excessively 
moist  many  of  the  cuttings  will  fail  to  root. 

In  about  twenty  days  from  the  time  of  their  insertion 
the  cuttings  should  be  nicely  rooted,  and  may  be  removed 
to  a  cool  bed  in  the  same  house  or  to  a  cool  structure, 
where,  with  moderate  ventilation,  they  should  remain  for  a 
few  days  previous  to  potting  them  off  singly  or  shifting 
them  into  larger  pots  according  to  the  method  adopted  in 
the  insertion  of  the  cuttings.  To  admit  of  this  operation 


RAISING    SEEDLINGS  79 

being  performed  with  a  full  measure  of  success  prepare  a 
compost  consisting  of  good  fibrous  loam  six  parts, 
thoroughly  decayed  stable  or  farmyard  manure,  leaf-mould 
two  parts  each,  and  coarse  silver  sand  one  part.  Then 
take  3-inch  pots,  put  a  few  small  crocks  in  the  bottom 
of  each  pot,  and  cover  the  crocks  with  rough  material,  to 
secure  efficient  drainage.  On  this  material  put  about  2 
inches  of  the  prepared  compost,  and  then  place  the  young 
plant  in  the  centre  and  fill  in  carefully  and  firmly  with  the 
requisite  quantity  of  compost.  As  the  potting  proceeds 
return  the  plants  to  the  same  house,  place  them  near  the 
glass,  and  keep  the  house  rather  close  for  a  few  days.  Sub- 
sequently they  may  be  removed  to  a  frame  or  pit,  or  allowed 
to  remain  in  the  same  house,  in  either  case  having  the  ad- 
vantage of  a  free  circulation  of  air  about  them. 

The  raising  of  seedlings  is  the  third  of  the  several 
methods  by  which  Dahlias  can  be  readily  propagated,  but 
it  is  not  one  that  can  be  recommended  as  adapted  to  the 
requirements  of  the  general  body  of  cultivators.  To  raise 
seedlings  is  a  very  simple  matter,  and  there  is  much  interest 
associated  with  the  sowing  of  the  seeds,  tending  the  young 
plants,  and  watching  the  development  of  the  flowers,  but 
the  results  are  seldom  sufficient  to  justify  either  the  space 
devoted  to  seedlings  or  the  attention  necessary.  It  may  be 
that  if  the  seed  has  been  saved  from  first-class  varieties  that 
have  been  beyond  the  influence  of  pollen  of  those  distinctly 
inferior,  a  few  that  will  be  of  merit  may  be  obtained  from 
several  hundred  seedlings,  the  remainder  being  moderately 
good  or  distinctly  bad.  Therefore  seedlings  should  not  be 
grown  for  garden  decoration  by  the  general  body  of  culti- 
vators. Varieties  of  high  merit  are  alone  suitable  for  that 


8o      PRESENT-DAY    GARDENING 

purpose,  and  to  grow  those  which  cannot  be  so  described 
is  to  waste  space  that  should  be  turned  to  the  best  possible 
account  by  the  owner. 

In  the  early  days  of  the  single  Dahlia  a  stock  argument 
in  advocacy  of  the  cultivation  of  single  flowers  was  the 
facility  with  which  they  could  be  raised  from  seed.  Many 
amateurs  acted  upon  the  suggestion,  raised  seedlings  in 
considerable  numbers,  and  as  the  result  filled  their  borders 
with  a  motley  crowd  of  plants  bearing  flowers  of  indifferent 
quality.  Many  were  disappointed  with  the  singles  in  con- 
sequence, and  some  banished  them  from  their  gardens.  If 
the  raising  of  seedlings  is  entered  upon,  it  should  be  with 
some  definite  object  in  view,  and  be  proceeded  with  on 
well-defined  lines,  and  the  trial  of  the  varieties  should  be 
conducted  wholly  apart  from  the  decorative  part  of  the 
garden. 

To  obtain  strong  plants  that  will  come  into  bloom 
sufficiently  early  to  admit  of  it  being  readily  seen  whether 
they  are  worth  keeping  over  the  winter  for  further  test,  the 
seed  should  be  sown  in  March,  and  preferably  in  the  first 
half  of  the  month.  Sow  the  seeds  thinly  in  shallow  pans  or 
boxes  filled  with  a  light,  sandy  compost,  cover  them  with  a 
sprinkling  of  fine  soil,  and  give  them  a  moderate  watering 
through  a  fine  rose.  Then  place  the  pans  or  boxes  in  a 
structure  in  which  a  temperature  ranging  between  65° 
and  70°  is  maintained,  and  if  they  can  be  placed  where 
the  seed  will  have  the  assistance  of  a  bottom  heat  of 
about  70°  germination  will  be  more  rapid.  Until  the 
seedlings  are  making  their  appearance  above  the  surface  of 
the  soil  the  position  of  the  pans  or  boxes  is  not  a  matter  of 
moment,  but  when  they  arc  seen  to  be  growing  they  should 


POTTING    SEEDLINGS  81 

if  necessary  be  removed  to  a  part  of  the  house  where  the 
plants  will  be  near  the  glass  and  receive  a  full  share  of 
light  without  being  much  exposed  to  strong  sunlight. 

When  the  second  leaves  are  in  process  of  development, 
and  before  the  seedlings  suffer  from  overcrowding,  prick 
them  off  into  shallow  boxes  filled  with  light,  rich  soil 
and  put  them  about  2\  inches  apart  each  way.  Keep 
them  rather  close  and  shaded  for  two  or  three  days,  to 
enable  them  to  recover  from  the  check  received.  When 
this  period  is  passed  expose  them  more  freely  to  light  and 
air,  and  as  soon  as  they  show  signs  of  becoming  crowded 
pot  them  singly,  using  3-inch  pots  and  a  rather  rich  com- 
post. When  seedlings  reach  this  stage  they  should  be 
grown  under  precisely  the  same  conditions  as  plants  raised 
from  cuttings. 


CHAPTER   XI 
CULTIVATION 

IN  entering  upon  the  cultivation  of  Dahlias  it  will  be  found 
an  immense  advantage  to  first  determine  whether  they  are 
to  be  grown  for  the  purpose  of  obtaining  bright  displays  of 
flowers  in  the  garden  or  for  the  production  of  highly-de- 
veloped blooms  that  will  win  prizes  in  close  competitions  at 
exhibitions.  It  is  essential  this  should  be  done,  because  the 
cultural  methods  must  be  carefully  adapted  to  the  special 
purpose  for  which  the  plants  are  grown.  In  the  past  it 
has  been  too  much  the  practice  to  recommend  and  adopt 
the  same  course  of  procedure  for  plants  intended  for  adding 
to  the  attractions  of  flower  beds  and  borders  as  for  those 
from  which  exhibition  blooms  are  required.  In  conse- 
quence the  results  have  in  most  cases  failed  to  realise  the 
anticipations  of  cultivators,  and  the  Dahlia  has  suffered  in 
repute  as  a  garden  flower.  With  the  exception  of  the 
pompons,  pompon  cactus  and  single  varieties,  Dahlias 
grown  for  exhibition  require  very  generous  treatment  in 
the  matter  of  manurial  applications.  On  the  contrary, 
those  grown  for  decorative  effect,  or  the  supply  of  cut  flowers 
for  use  in  floral  arrangements,  require  only  a  moderately 
rich  soil.  In  the  latter  case,  if  manure  is  applied  in  excess 
of  that  necessary  to  maintain  a  continuous  and  moderate 
growth;  the  leaf-development  is  such  as  to  prevent  in  some 


SITE    AND    SOIL  83 

cases  the  blooms  rising  above  the  foliage,  and  in  others 
the  blooms  attain  to  so  large  a  size  as  to  render  it  difficult 
to  utilise  them  with  success  in  arrangements  other  than 
those  of  the  boldest  character. 


SITE  AND  SOIL  FOR  EXHIBITION  DAHLIAS 

Dahlias  are  so  accommodating  in  their  requirements  both 
as  regards  position  and  soil  that  there  are  but  few  gardens 
in  which  they  cannot  be  grown  with  success  for  exhibition 
purposes,  without  special  preparations  being  made  for  them. 
Some  gardens  are  better  adapted  to  their  requirements  than 
others,  and  it  is  therefore  advisable  that  cultivators  should 
fully  inform  themselves  as  to  the  conditions  by  which  they 
attain  to  the  highest  state  of  development,  and  be  thus  in  a 
position  to  strengthen  the  weak  points  in  their  practice. 

In  the  first  place,  it  cannot  be  too  distinctly  understood 
that  the  position  should  be  sufficiently  open  for  the  plants 
to  enjoy  a  full  exposure  to  the  rays  of  the  sun  and  a  free 
circulation  of  air  about  them.  Without  such  exposure  the 
growth  will  be  soft  and  the  blooms  have  a  tendency  to 
coarseness.  Sites  that  are  partially  shaded  by  tall  trees  are 
unsuitable,  for  the  branches  will  deprive  the  plants  of  some 
portion  of  the  sunlight,  and  the  roots  will  push  freely  into 
the  enriched  soil  and  deprive  the  Dahlias  of  a  large  share 
of  their  food. 

The  question  of  shelter  is  of  considerable  importance, 
as  Dahlias  when  grown  in  rich  soil  suffer  more  or  less 
when  exposed  to  high  winds.  This  being  the  case,  it  is 
an  advantage  to  give  them  a  site  where  they  will  be 
sheltered  somewhat  from  winds,  especially  those  from  the 


84     PRESENT-DAY    GARDENING 

west.  An  ideal  site  would  be  an  area  of  sufficient  size  to 
accommodate  the  number  of  plants  to  be  grown  and  en- 
closed with  a  hedge  of  yew  or  holly  some  6  feet  high. 
The  majority  of  cultivators  have  to  be  satisfied  with  a  site 
falling  short  of  the  ideal,  and  it  is  therefore  gratifying  to 
know  that  artificial  shelter  from  the  winds  may  be  provided 
at  a  small  cost.  A  single  line  of  Lombardy  poplars  planted 
2  feet  apart  and  cut  back  to  within  6  feet  of  the  ground  will 
form  a  really  good  screen  the  first  year,  and  the  trees  can  be 
kept  to  the  dimensions  of  a  hedge  about  7  feet  high  for  an 
indefinite  period.  Trees  about  8  feet  high  and  well  furnished 
with  side  growths  near  the  base  are  the  best  for  the  purpose 
in  question.  The  provision  of  shelter  is  not,  however,  likely 
to  occasion  any  great  difficulty,  because  the  majority  of 
gardens  are  bounded  by  hedges,  close  fences,  or  walls,  and 
the  owners  of  gardens  who  are  filled  with  a  desire  to  take 
a  prominent  position  at  exhibitions  of  these  flowers  will  not 
be  slow  to  take  advantage  of  such  favourable  positions  as 
their  gardens  afford. 

PREPARATION  OF  THE  SOIL 

Deep  cultivation  should  be  regarded  as  not  less  essential 
to  success  in  the  production  of  exhibition  blooms  than  the 
liberal  enrichment  of  the  soil  with  manure.  The  proper 
time  for  commencing  the  preparation  of  the  ground  de- 
pends to  some  extent  on  its  character,  a  point  that  is 
frequently  overlooked,  as  evidenced  by  the  zeal  with  which 
this  and  that  season  is  recommended  without  any  reserva- 
tion. Heavy  soils  are  more  slowly  acted  upon  by  atmos- 
pheric agencies  than  are  those  which  are  lighter  in  texture, 


PREPARATION    OF    SOIL         85 

and  therefore  they  require  a  much  longer  exposure  previous 
to  the  planting  season.  If  the  soil  is  a  strong  or  heavy 
loam  it  should  be  trenched  or  deeply  dug  in  the  autumn  or 
early  in  the  winter,  and  have  the  surface  left  in  a  rough  state 
to  enable  the  pulverising  and  purifying  action  of  the  winter 
frosts  and  rains  to  have  full  play  in  the  exercise  of  their 
beneficial  influence.  Light  soils  may  be  trenched  or  dug 
at  the  same  time  as  those  which  are  heavy,  or  they  may  be 
prepared  in  the  spring  as  may  be  found  the  most  con- 
venient. 

In  trenching  ground  for  Dahlias  the  soil  should  be 
broken  up  to  a  depth  of  at  least  2  feet,  and  if  the 
bottom  spit  consists  of  clay,  gravel,  or  other  unsuitable 
material  it  should  not  be  brought  to  the  surface  as  in 
ordinary  trenching.  The  best  means  of  avoiding  this  is 
the  adoption  of  the  following  course  of  procedure.  First 
open  out  a  trench  2  feet  wide  and  12  inches  deep, 
and  instead  of  taking  out  the  bottom  spit  in  the  same 
manner  as  in  ordinary  trenching  dig  it  to  a  depth  of  12 
inches.  This  having  been  done,  take  out  a  second  trench 
in  a  manner  similar  to  the  first  and  put  the  soil  into  the 
first  trench,  continuing  this  until  the  whole  of  the  area  has 
been  broken  up  to  the  desired  depth.  By  this  course  of 
procedure  a  deep  root  run  is  provided  without  burying  the 
well-worked  soil  beneath  that  which  is  not  favourable  to 
rapid  root  development. 

The  application  of  manure  requires  careful  considera- 
tion, for  not  only  has  the  right  kind  to  be  selected,  but  it 
should  be  applied  at  such  time  as  will  enable  the  plants  to 
obtain  from  it  the  fullest  possible  benefit.  Manure  from 
the  farmyard  or  stable  is  the  most  suitable  for  Dahlias,  and 


86      PRESENT-DAY    GARDENING 

when  the  soil  is  heavy  and  tenacious  in  texture  it  should  be 
applied  in  a  partially  decomposed  state  in  the  autumn  or 
early  in  the  winter,  immediately  before  the  ground  is 
trenched  or  otherwise  broken  up.  If,  on  the  contrary,  the 
soil  is  light,  apply  the  manure  in  the  spring,  and  use  it  in  an 
advanced  stage  of  decomposition.  A  lengthy  reference  to 
the  use  of  manure  in  the  flower  garden  is  not  necessary, 
but  it  may  perhaps  be  well  to  mention  that  the  decomposi- 
tion of  manure  of  the  kind  recommended  proceeds  slowly 
in  heavy  soils,  whilst  in  lighter  soils  the  decomposition  pro- 
ceeds with  considerable  rapidity.  As  lighter  soils  have  but 
indifferent  retentive  properties,  some  of  the  food  elements  are 
washed  down  by  the  rains  and  carried  off  by  the  drainage 
system  in  the  course  of  the  winter.  Hence  it  is  that  heavy 
soils  are  most  successfully  manured  in  the  autumn  and 
light  ones  in  the  spring,  and  that  in  the  latter  case  the 
material  should  be  in  a  sufficiently  advanced  stage  of  decay 
for  the  plants  to  obtain  the  requisite  supplies  of  food  when 
their  roots  begin  to  run  freely  in  the  soil. 

If  the  advice  here  given  with  regard  to  breaking  up  the 
soil  by  digging  or  trenching  is  acted  upon,  the  weather  by 
the  beginning  of  March  will  have  so  pulverised  the  surface 
of  heavy  soils  that  the  lumps  will  fall  to  pieces  when 
crushed  with  the  back  of  a  rake  or  other  implement.  Quite 
early  in  the  month  dig  the  quarter  with  the  fork  or  spade, 
preferably  the  former,  and  drive  the  tool  straight  down  tc 
a  depth  of  fully  12  inches,  and  in  the  process  of  digging 
break  up  the  larger  lumps.  Light  soil  should  be  dug  over 
or  trenched  to  a  depth  of  2  feet  at  the  end  of  February  or 
the  beginning  of  March,  and  before  digging  is  commenced 
sufficient  decayed  stable  or  farmyard  manure  should,  as  in 


BEDS    AND    BORDERS  87 

the  case  of  heavy  soils,  be  applied  to  form  a  4-inch  layer 
when  spread  over  the  surface. 

Soil  preparation  is  not  completed  by  the  March  opera- 
tions, and  the  cultivators  who  would  achieve  a  full  measure 
of  success  must  subsequent  thereto  fork  the  ground  over 
two  or  three  times  previous  to  putting  out  the  plants  at  the 
end  of  May  or  early  in  June.  To  the  beginner  this  may 
appear  unnecessary,  but  experience  warrants  the  assertion 
that  the  aeration  and  pulverisation  resulting  therefrom  have 
a  highly  beneficial  influence  upon  the  root  system,  which 
will  be  seen  in  the  rapid  and  satisfactory  progress  made 
by  the  plants  during  their  earlier  stages  of  growth.  Soils 
that  have  been  highly  cultivated  for  a  considerable  number 
of  years  will  be  greatly  improved  by  a  dressing  of  newly- 
slaked  lime,  the  quantity  used  to  be  sufficient  to  form  a 
thin  layer  over  the  surface.  Soils  manured  early  in  the 
winter  may  receive  their  dressing  of  lime  in  March,  but  the 
others  should  be  limed  about  a  month  after  the  manure  is 
applied.  Lime  and  manure  should  not  be  applied  simul- 
taneously because  of  the  loss  resulting  from  the  setting  free 
by  the  action  of  the  lime  of  some  part  of  the  ammonia 
contained  in  the  latter. 


BEDS  AND  BORDERS  OF  GARDEN  DAHLIAS 

In  the  preparation  of  beds  and  borders  for  Dahlias 
grown  for  the  embellishment  of  the  garden  or  for  the  supply 
of  cut  flowers  a  less  generous  use  of  manure  should  be 
made  than  is  necessaiy  for  those  grown  for  exhibition. 
The  quantity  should  be  reduced  by  about  one-half  unless 
the  soil  is  light  and  much  impoverished,  when  two-thirds 


88     PRESENT-DAY    GARDENING 

may  be  applied  with  advantage.  Should  the  beds  or 
borders  have  been  so  liberally  enriched  in  previous  years 
that  Dahlias  make  an  excessively  strong  growth,  give  instead 
of  manure  a  liberal  dressing  of  slaked  lime,  previous  to 
breaking  up  the  soil.  It  is  advisable  to  trench  the  ground 
for  garden  Dahlias  in  precisely  the  same  manner  as  for 
those  grown  for  exhibition  purposes  ;  but  trenching  is  not 
so  imperative,  and  good  results  may  be  obtained  from  plants 
growing  in  ground  that  has  been  dug  to  a  depth  of  not  less 
than  12  inches.  If  shallow  digging  is  resorted  to  the  roots 
will  be  so  near  the  surface  as  to  incur  the  risk  of  the  plants 
suffering  from  an  insufficiency  of  moisture  should  there  be 
a  period  of  dry  weather  during  the  summer  months. 
Stations  for  single  plants  or  groups  in  mixed  borders  should, 
as  a  matter  of  course,  be  prepared  in  much  the  same 
manner  as  the  beds  and  borders. 


WHEN  AND  HOW  TO  PLANT 

Having  dealt  with  the  questions  of  sites  for  exhibition 
Dahlias  and  soil  preparation  for  all  classes,  it  becomes 
necessary  to  give  attention  to  the  plants  in  their  several 
stages  of  development.  If  the  advice  given  in  the  chapter 
on  propagation  is  acted  upon,  the  greater  proportion  of  the 
plants  will  be  well  established  by  the  middle  of  April  in 
pots  3  inches  in  diameter.  Those  raised  from  cuttings 
rooted  rather  late  in  the  spring  will  be  well  established  in 
their  pots  at  the  beginning  of  May.  Both  early  and  late 
plants  and  those  obtained  from  the  nurseries  should  be  dealt 
with  in  precisely  the  same  manner  when  they  have  reached 
the  stage  at  which  more  root  room  becomes  necessary. 


PLATE   VII 
P^EONY-FLOWERED   DAHLIA— THE   GEISHA 


WHEN    TO    PLANT  91 

One  of  the  essentials  to  success  in  the  cultivation  of 
Dahlias  is  to  maintain  them  in  a  progressive  state  from 
the  time  they  are  transferred  from  the  cutting  pots  until 
they  are  planted  in  their  summer  quarters.  In  not  a  few 
instances  beginners  in  Dahlia  culture  fail  to  appreciate  the 
importance  of  this  point,  and  leave  the  plants  in  the  small 
pots  until  such  times  as  it  is  safe  to  bed  them  out.  As  the 
result  of  this  starving  process  they  become  more  or  less 
stunted  in  growth,  "and  several  weeks  are  taken  up  in  the 
recovery  of  lost  time,  a  point  of  much  importance  consider- 
ing the  comparative  shortness  of  British  summers.  Whether 
raised  at  home  or  purchased  from  the  nurseries,  the  plants 
should  be  well  established  in  small  pots  by  the  end  of  April 
or  early  in  May,  and  be  then  shifted  into  pots  5  or  6  inches 
in  diameter,  the  larger  size  being  preferable.  Use  a  sub- 
stantial compost  such  as  one  consisting  of  fibrous  loam 
four  parts,  and  leaf-mould  and  well-decayed  manure  one 
part  each,  and  pot  moderately  firm.  It  will  be  an  ad- 
vantage if  the  plants  can  be  placed  in  a  garden  frame  or 
pit,  where  they  can  have  the  assistance  of  a  little  artificial 
heat  at  night  for  a  short  time,  and  in  the  daytime  also  if  the 
weather  is  cold.  Fire  heat  is  not,  however,  essential,  but  they 
must  at  least  be  placed  in  a  frame  where  they  can  be  kept 
rather  close  and  screened  from  bright  sunlight  for  a  short 
period  and  be  kept  safe  from  frost.  If  the  compost  is 
moderately  moist  when  used  and  the  plants  are  well  watered 
previous  to  being  repotted,  but  little  if  any  water  will  be 
required  for  two  or  three  days.  Subsequently  the  plants 
must  be  watered  at  such  intervals  as  may  appear  necessary, 
remembering  that  while  sufficient  must  be  given  to  maintain 
a  progressive  growth,  the  soil  will  become  sour  if  the 


92      PRESENT-DAY    GARDENING 

supplies  are  in  excess  of  requirements,  and  the  plants  will 
receive  a  check  from  which  they  will  not  readily  recover. 
When  watering  is  necessary  give  sufficient  to  thoroughly 
moisten  the  soil,  and  then  wait  until  the  soil  has  become 
rather  dry  before  giving  further  supplies.  After  the  plants 
have  become  well  established  and  have  filled  their  pots 
with  roots  the  waterings  may  be  carried  out  on  a  liberal 
scale  without  any  fear  of  injury.  When  they  commence 
to  root  freely  after  the  repotting,  as  indicated  by  the  de- 
velopment of  the  points  of  the  shoots,  admit  air  freely  and 
discontinue  the  use  of  the  shading  material.  From  this 
stage  onward,  while  avoiding  exposure  to  cold  weather, 
ventilate  freely,  and  as  the  growth  and  season  advances 
draw  the  lights  off  during  the  warmer  parts  of  the  day,  and 
for  a  week  or  so  previous  to  their  being  bedded  out  the 
plants  should  be  freely  exposed  during  the  night — pro- 
vided, of  course,  that  there  is  no  risk  of  frost.  Dahlias 
grown  in  these  conditions  will  range  from  12  to  15  inches 
in  height  by  the  beginning  of  June,  have  stems  as  thick 
as  the  finger,  and  grow  away  freely  and  satisfactorily  when 
transferred  to  their  summer  quarters. 

In  making  arrangements  for  planting  out  the  cultivator 
should  allow  the  plants  sufficient  space  for  their  full  de- 
velopment, and  for  them  to  receive  the  attention  they  will 
require  with  some  degree  of  comfort  without  there  being 
any  waste  of  space.  Some  sections  require  more  space 
than  others,  but  experienced  cultivators  are  generally  agreed 
that  the  cactus,  show,  fancy,  paeony-flowered,  and  the  robust 
decorative  varieties  when  grown  for  exhibition  should  be 
planted  4  feet  apart  in  the  rows,  and  5-feet  spaces  allowed 
between  the  rows.  The  single,  pompon,  and  collerette 


HOW    TO    PLANT  93 

varieties,  not  being  so  robust,  may  be  successfully  grown 
when  planted  4  feet  apart  each  way.  Dahlias  grown  for 
garden  decoration  in  accordance  with  the  advice  given  will 
be  less  robust  in  growth  than  those  cultivated  for  exhibition 
purposes,  and  therefore  will  require  less  space.  In  arranging 
them  in  beds  and  borders  that  are  wholly  devoted  to  them, 
from  24  to  36  inches  apart  each  way  will  be  a  good  distance, 
this  being  determined  by  the  section  and  the  character  of 
the  soil.  In  growing  Dahlias  in  association  with  the 
various  classes  of  hardy  plants,  they  may  be  arranged  singly 
or  in  groups  consisting  of  three  plants  each  of  one  variety 
as  may  be  preferred.  In  the  case  of  groups  the  most 
striking  effect  is  obtained  by  arranging  the  plants  in  the 
form  of  a  triangle  and  about  30  inches  apart. 

The  plants  intended  for  the  production  of  colour  effects 
in  the  garden  should  be  planted  without  any  further  en- 
richment of  the  soil  than  that  already  mentioned,  but  in 
the  case  of  those  grown  for  exhibition  some  additional 
assistance  that  will  be  available  during  the  earlier  stages 
of  growth  will  be  distinctly  beneficial.  With  line  and 
measure  mark  the  positions  of  the  plants  in  accordance 
with  the  measurements  given,  and  then  at  each  one  dig  in 
about  half  a  peck  of  thoroughly  decayed  stable  manure  and 
a  pint  or  so  of  soot.  If  manure  of  the  kind  mentioned  is 
not  available,  use  instead  some  suitable  fertiliser,  such  as 
superphosphate  of  lime  at  the  rate  of  4  or  5  ounces  at 
each  station.  It  will  be  an  advantage  to  prepare  the 
positions  a  week  or  so  before  planting,  and  make  the  soil 
moderately  firm.  The  operation  of  making  the  holes  is  best 
done  with  a  trowel,  and  each  hole  should  be  large  enough  to 
receive  readily  the  ball  of  soil,  the  top  of  which  should  be 


94     PRESENT-DAY    GARDENING 

about  half  an  inch  below  the  surface  when  the  planting  has 
been  completed.  There  are  two  points  which  should  be 
borne  in  mind  during  these  operations  :  one  is  to  have 
the  ball  of  soil  thoroughly  moist,  and  the  other  the  necessity 
for  pressing  the  soil  firmly  around  it.  To  ensure  the  balls 
being  sufficiently  moist  water  the  plants  a  few  hours 
previously  to  bedding  them  out  and  not  immediately 
before  this  is  done. 


STAKING  AND  THINNING 

Supports  should  be  given  to  Dahlia  plants  immedi- 
ately they  are  put  in  their  summer  quarters,  for  the 
growth  is  somewhat  soft  and  liable  to  injury  from  strong 
winds.  Therefore,  immediately  they  are  bedded  out  put  a 
strong  stake  to  each  plant,  and  in  the  case  of  those  grown 
for  exhibition  the  stakes  should  be  of  sufficient  length  to 
stand  from  4  to  6  feet  above  the  ground  level,  the  exact  height 
being  determined  by  that  of  the  varieties.  Tall  stakes  are 
not  particularly  attractive,  and  for  this  reason  it  is  a  good 
practice  in  providing  support  for  plants  grown  for  garden 
decoration  to  use  in  the  first  instance  stakes  that  will  stand 
about  2  feet  above  the  ground  level  when  firmly  fixed  in 
the  border,  and  when  the  growth  has  reached  the  top  of 
these  to  put  other  stakes  that  will  be  proportionate  to  the 
height  attained,  as  in  the  case  of  the  exhibition  Dahlias. 
As  the  stakes  for  both  classes  are  fixed  in  position  make 
the  plants  secure  by  strands  of  raffia  or  some  other  suitable 
tying  material.  While  too  much  play  should  not  be 
allowed,  avoid  tying  the  shoots  tightly,  that  the  stems  may 
not  be  injured  by  the  ties  as  they  increase  in  diameter : 


STAKING    AND    THINNING      95 

this  increase  will  proceed  rapidly  when  a  vigorous  growth 
has  commenced. 

Should  the  climatic  and  soil  conditions  be  favourable, 
there  will  be  evidence  of  vigorous  growth  in  a  comparatively 
short  period,  and  flower  buds  will  soon  afterwards  make 
their  appearance.  As  the  development  of  the  side  branches 
proceeds,  they  should  be  looped  up  to  the  stake,  with  the 
aid  of  raffia  or  other  suitable  material,  and  thus  for  a  time 
remove  the  risk  of  injury  from  rough  winds.  In  a  short 
time  further  support  will  be  required,  and  this  should  be 
provided  by  putting  two  other  stakes  to  each  of  the  exhibi- 
tion Dahlias,  such  stakes  to  be  of  the  same  height  as  those 
used  in  the  first  instance.  They  should  be  so  fixed  in  the 
ground  as  to  form,  with  those  already  in  position,  a  series 
of  triangles.  Connect  the  stakes  supporting  each  plant 
with  stout  cord  or  yarn,  and  to  this  tie  the  side  branches 
evenly  and  securely  as  they  become  long  enough  to  render 
additional  support  necessary.  In  the  case  of  the  cactus, 
show,  and  other  robust  varieties  that  are  being  grown  for 
exhibition  purposes,  the  earlier  buds  should  be  pinched  out 
immediately  they  are  seen,  and  if  the  shoots  have  attained 
some  height,  they  should  be  pinched  off  below  the  first  or 
second  joint.  This  stopping  will  divert  some  part  of  the 
energies  of  the  plant  into  the  lower  branches,  which  will 
at  once  begin  to  make  rapid  progress,  and  in  due  course 
produce  flower  buds  that  will  prove  useful  by  develop- 
ing into  blooms  of  high  quality  for  the  early  shows. 
Disbudding  will  not  be  necessary  in  the  case  of  plants 
grown  for  garden  decoration,  as  large  numbers  of  blooms 
of  average  size  are  of  greater  value  than  a  few  remarkable 
for  exceptionally  high  development,  When  these  latter 


96      PRESENT-DAY    GARDENING 

have  reached  to  the  top  of  the  two  first  stakes,  they 
should  have  three  others  fixed  around  them,  and  these 
should  be  of  a  height  proportionate  to  that  of  the  re- 
spective varieties. 

Thinning  of  the  branches  is  an  important  detail  in  the 
cultivation  of  the  cactus,  show,  fancy,  paeony-flowered,  and 
giant  decorative  varieties  for  exhibition.  The  cactus 
varieties  of  rather  dense  growth  should  have  their  branches 
thinned  to  five,  six,  or  seven  to  each  plant,  and  this  should 
be  accomplished  by  the  removal  of  the  weaker  shoots. 
The  show,  fancy,  paeony-flowered,  and  giant  decorative 
varieties  will  require  thinning  in  a  somewhat  similar  manner, 
but  the  removal  of  the  side  branches  must  be  regulated  by 
the  character  of  the  varieties.  An  excess  of  growth  is 
generally  a  hindrance  to  the  flowers  attaining  to  a  high 
state  of  development,  but  some  varieties  have  a  tendency 
to  produce  large,  coarse  blooms,  and  if  the  growths  of  these 
are  severely  thinned  this  defect  will  be  more  or  less  accen- 
tuated. On  the  contrary,  varieties  producing  relatively 
small  blooms  will  need  a  more  severe  thinning,  that  there 
may  be  concentration  of  energy  on  the  part  of  the  plants. 
All  the  foregoing  sections  when  grown  for  garden  decora- 
tion should  have  their  strong  growths  tied  out  and  those 
produced  rather  late  in  the  season  removed,  for  they  are  of 
but  little  use  for  bloom  production,  moreover  they  deprive 
the  others  of  much  light  and  air. 


WATERING  AND  MULCHING 

All  Dahlias  derive  much  benefit  from  a  liberal  amount 
of  moisture  in  the  soil,  and  in  the  case  of  those  grown  for 


LIQUID    MANURE  97 

exhibition  it  is  essential  that  the  soil  should  be  moderately 
moist  during  the  development  of  the  blooms.  At  the  same 
time  watering  must  not  be  overdone  at  any  stage.  Upon  this 
point  it  is  difficult  to  formulate  rules  that  will  be  of  practical 
value,  because  so  much  depends  upon  whether  the  soil  is 
light  or  heavy,  and  whether  the  season  is  wet  or  dry.  It  is 
a  good  practice  to  give  a  watering  at  the  time  of  planting 
and  two  or  three  waterings  subsequently  at  intervals  of  three 
or  four  days  should  the  weather  be  dry,  but  not  otherwise, 
as  much  moisture  in  the  soil  before  the  roots  begin  to  push 
into  it  will  do  more  harm  than  good.  After  the  plants  have 
become  established  and  are  in  full  growth  assist  them  with 
one  or  more  waterings  during  periods  of  dry  weather,  the 
number  to  be  determined  by  the  length  of  the  period  over 
which  the  latter  extends.  It  is  of  much  importance  that 
each  supply  should  be  sufficient  to  moisten  the  soil  well 
down  to  the  roots. 

After  the  plants  are  commencing  to  bloom  freely  much 
assistance  will  be  derived  from  occasional  supplies  of  liquid 
manure  of  a  moderate  degree  of  strength.  The  drainings 
from  the  stable  and  farmyard,  when  much  diluted,  are  an 
excellent  stimulant  at  this  stage.  Some  care  is  necessary 
in  using  this  liquid,  because  if  it  is  employed  in  too  strong 
a  condition  it  will  be  injurious  in  its  effects,  and  as  the 
drainings  vary  much  in  strength  no  definite  directions  can 
be  given  for  their  dilution,  which  should  be  made  with  clear 
water.  A  very  good  liquid  stimulant  may  be  prepared  by 
filling  a  tank  or  old  cask  of  a  capacity  of  40  or  50  gallons 
with  water  and  placing  in  it  a  large  bag  of  some  loose 
material  filled  with  horse  manure,  allowing  it  to  infuse  for  a 
day  or  two.  Then  commence  to  use  the  liquid,  and  as  each 

G 


98     PRESENV-DAY    GARDENING 

quantity  is  taken  out  refill  with  water.  When  the  liquid  has 
lost  its  colour  or  become  very  pale,  remove  the  bag  of 
manure  and  replace  with  a  fresh  one. 

Mulching  the  surface  of  the  ground  will  be  highly 
beneficial,  and  save  excessive  watering.  Partially  decayed 
stable  manure  is  the  best  material  for  the  purpose,  and  it 
should  be  spread  over  the  surface  in  sufficient  quantities  to 
form  a  3-inch  layer.  This  will  prevent  the  rapid  evapora- 
tion of  the  moisture  from  the  soil,  and  render  it  possible  to 
attend  to  the  plants  with  comfort  whether  the  soil  is  dry 
or  wet  from  rains  or  heavy  waterings. 


DISBUDDING  AND  SHADING 

Flower  buds  will  commence  to  make  their  appearance 
at  a  comparatively  early  stage,  and  it  is  important  in  the 
case  of  plants  intended  for  the  production  of  exhibition 
blooms  that  they  should  not  have  their  energies  taxed  with 
flowers  that  will  serve  no  useful  purpose.  Buds  that 
appear  soon  after  the  plants  become  established  should  be 
removed  in  accordance  with  the  directions  already  given. 
The  earlier  of  the  second  set  of  buds  should  also  be  re- 
moved, unless  the  district  is  a  late  one,  or  the  blooms  are 
required  for  early  shows.  Unless  early  blooms  are  re- 
quired, take  out  the  centre  or  leading  bud  of  each  branch  ; 
when  this  is  done  the  secondary  branches  or  growths  will 
commence  to  show  buds,  and  generally  speaking  it  will  be 
from  these  that  the  blooms  for  the  September  exhibitions 
will  be  obtained.  These  should  be  thinned  to  one  to  each 
sub-branch,  the  central  or  leading  bud  remaining,  and  the 
laterals,  with  their  buds  that  are  produced  from  the  two  or 


PLATE  VIII 
COLLERETTE   DAHLIA— GALLIA 


SHADING  101 

three  joints  immediately  below  the  buds  that  are  left, 
removed.  As  a  rule,  blooms  of  the  cactus,  show,  fancy, 
and  giant  decorative  varieties  attain  their  full  development  in 
a  month  from  the  time  of  the  buds  making  their  appearance. 
But  it  should  be  remembered  in  connection  with  this  rule 
that  much  variation  in  the  rate  of  development  may  be 
caused  by  differences  in  plants,  weather,  and  other  con- 
tingencies, and  that  in  consequence  a  greater  latitude  in 
the  matter  of  time  should  be  allowed.  To  be  really  safe 
it  will  be  advisable  to  depend  upon  buds  that  show  from 
six  to  three  weeks  before  the  date  of  the  exhibitions. 

The  flowers  of  all  sections,  with  the  exception  of  the 
pompons  and  singles,  that  are  intended  for  exhibition,  should 
be  made  secure  to  stakes  of  suitable  lengths,  and  when 
partly  developed  be  protected  from  the  weather  by  a  shade 
of  some  kind.  Conical  shades  made  with  wire  and  calico 
and  about  12  inches  in  diameter  and  depth  are  the  most 
useful,  and  can  be  obtained  from  the  leading  nurserymen 
and  dealers  in  garden  sundries.  These  are  affixed  to  a 
stout  cane  about  6  feet  in  height,  and  are  so  placed  on 
the  supports  that  they  afford  efficient  protection  from  both 
rain  and  direct  sunlight.  The  shade  should  be  arranged  so 
that  the  bloom  is  near  the  centre,  and  high  enough  above 
it  that  air  can  freely  circulate  about  the  latter.  When  the 
shade  is  so  low  down  that  the  air  cannot  circulate  freely 
there  is  a  risk  of  the  flower  being  injured  by  the  heat 
during  periods  of  brilliant  sunlight.  The  canes,  it  may  be 
added,  should  have  the  lower  end  pressed  into  the  soil  to 
a  depth  of  9  or  10  inches  to  ensure  their  steadiness. 
Dahlia  blooms  of  all  sections  when  intended  for  exhibition 
should  have  some  protection  from  the  weather,  but  in 


102     PRESENT-DAY    GARDENING 

the  case  of  the  pompons  and  single  varieties  very  little 
shade  will  suffice. 


LIFTING  AND  STORING  THE  ROOTS 

With  the  lifting  and  storage  of  the  tubers  the  year's 
cultural  work  is  completed.  The  second  week  of  October 
is  the  most  suitable  time  for  lifting  the  roots,  as  they  will 
then  be  in  good  condition  for  storing  for  the  winter.  The 
growth  of  Dahlias  is  usually  damaged  by  the  frost  before 
the  middle  of  October,  and  the  plants  rendered  somewhat 
unsightly,  but  there  is  no  occasion  to  wait,  as  is  occasionally 
done,  for  that  to  happen  before  lifting  the  roots. 

To  avoid  any  risk  of  mistakes  in  the  names,  all  the 
plants  of  which  the  roots  are  to  be  stored  should  be  ex- 
amined, to  see  whether  they  are  named  correctly  and 
legibly.  This  should  be  done  preferably  before  the 
middle  of  September,  whilst  the  plants  are  still  in  full 
bloom.  As  the  examination  proceeds,  a  new  and  neatly- 
written  tally  should  be  given  to  each,  and  be  firmly  attached 
to  the  stake  with  string  or  thin  wire.  Then,  as  the  stems 
are  cut  down  later  on,  to  within  about  6  inches  of  the 
ground  level,  the  tallies  should  be  removed  from  the  stakes 
and  attached  to  the  base  of  the  stem  in  such  manner  that 
they  cannot  be  separated  from  the  roots.  It  will  be  an 
advantage  to  select  a  dry  day  for  lifting,  and  the  best 
method  of  procedure  is  to  cut  down  the  plants  to  within 
6  inches  of  the  ground  level,  and  then  with  fork  or  spade 
lift  the  roots,  attach  the  new  tallies  to  them,  and  leave  them 
on  the  surface  for  a  few  hours.  If  the  roots  are  lifted  early 
in  the  morning  and  allowed  to  remain  on  the  ground,  they 


STORING    THE    ROOTS         103 

will  become  sufficiently  dry  by  the  afternoon  to  admit  of 
much  of  the  soil  about  them  being  removed.  Should  it 
not  be  possible  to  wait  for  a  fine  day,  lift  the  roots  and 
place  them  on  the  floor  of  a  dry  shed  or  glass  house,  and 
leave  them  until  the  soil  has  become  dry  enough  to  be 
removed,  taking  care  that  the  tubers  are  not  exposed  to 
frost. 

In  selecting  a  place  of  storage,  it  is  essential  to  bear  in 
mind  that  they  must  not  be  subjected  to  frost,  damp,  or  a 
high  temperature.  A  dry  cellar  is  as  good  a  place  as  any 
in  which  to  keep  Dahlia  roots,  but  any  shed  or  spare  room 
in  which  they  can  be  kept  safe  from  frost,  damp,  or  ex- 
cessive warmth  may  be  utilised.  In  sheds  and  rooms,  and 
indeed  in  cellars  that  are  not  frost-proof,  they  can  be  kept 
perfectly  safe  by  covering  them  with  a  layer  of  dry  straw 
from  twelve  to  fifteen  inches  in  thickness.  As  some  of  the 
tubers  may,  owing  to  injury  during  the  process  of  lifting,  or 
from  some  other  cause,  show  signs  of  decay  after  they  are 
stored,  it  will  be  prudent  to  examine  the  roots  at  intervals 
of  three  or  four  weeks  during  the  winter.  If  evidence  of 
decay  is  seen,  the  decayed  tubers  or  portions  of  tubers 
should  be  cut  away,  and  the  cut  surfaces  dressed  with 
dry,  powdery  lime.  Unless  this  precaution  is  taken,  all 
the  tubers  of  a  root  may  rot,  and  the  decay  spread  even 
to  sound  tubers  belonging  to  other  roots  placed  near  those 
showing  decay. 


CHAPTER   XII 
SHOWS   AND   SHOWING 

UNTIL  nearly  the  close  of  the  nineteenth  century  the 
methods  of  presenting  Dahlias  to  public  notice  at  the 
exhibitions  were  so  primitive  in  character  as  to  suggest  to 
the  visitors  that  these  flowers,  in  their  wondrous  diversity  of 
form  and  colour,  possessed  but  little  value  beyond  afford- 
ing entertainment  to  fanciers  well  acquainted  with  their 
properties  as  defined  by  the  authorities,  and  therefore  in 
a  position  to  fully  appreciate  them.  During  the  past  few 
years  immense  improvements  have  been  made  in  the  staging 
of  Dahlias,  and  in  visiting  an  exhibition  of  the  first  class 
it  is  possible  not  only  to  enter  whole-heartedly  into  the 
enjoyment  of  their  distinctive  charms,  but  also  to  obtain 
object-lessons  in  the  arrangement  of  the  blooms  for  the 
decoration  of  the  home,  on  festive  and  other  occasions. 
Great  as  the  improvements  at  the  exhibitions  have  been, 
there  is  ample  room  for  further  reform,  and  it  is  much  to 
be  desired  that  societies  who  devote  any  considerable  share 
of  their  attention  to  these  flowers  will  see  to  it  that  their 
exhibitions  shall  be  not  less  remarkable  for  the  taste  shown 
in  the  arrangement  of  the  blooms  than  for  the  cultural 
skill  in  their  production.  Were  this  to  be  more  generally 
the  case,  Dahlia  shows  would  rapidly  attain  to  a  higher 
degree  of  popularity,  and  thus  become  more  useful,  by 


104 


ARRANGING    DAHLIAS         105 

bringing  Dahlias  before  a  larger  number  of  flower-lovers, 
and  showing  them  in  the  most  conclusive  manner  their 
great  value  for  floral  decorations  of  the  most  varied 
character. 

During  the  comparatively  short  period  that  has  elapsed 
since  the  opening  days  of  the  twentieth  century,  cultivators 
for  business  purposes  have  proved  to  demonstration,  by  the 
collections  they  have  contributed  to  the  leading  exhibitions, 
that  Dahlias  can  be  arranged  to  produce  the  most  charming 
effects  without  any  greater  difficulty  than  is  associated  with 
other  classes  of  flowers.  In  these  collections  may  be  seen 
Dahlias  arranged  in  vases,  baskets,  bamboo  stands,  and  other 
devices  ;  and  it  would  be  well  were  the  competitive  classes 
to  be  so  modified  as  to  admit  of  such  receptacles  being 
used  freely  throughout  the  exhibition,  and  thus  render  the 
attractions  so  varied  as  to  maintain  the  interest  of  visitors. 
It  may  not  be  advisable  to  effect  the  total  abolition  of  the 
orthodox  boxes,  which  have  been  in  use  since  the  earliest 
days  of  Dahlia  exhibitions  ;  but  there  can  be  no  question 
as  to  the  advisability  of  vases  being  more  largely  used.  In 
no  way  do  flowers,  when  cut  from  the  plant,  present  a 
more  pleasing  appearance  than  when  so  arranged  that  some 
part  of  the  stem,  and  a  little  of  the  foliage,  can  also  be  seen. 

What  is  true  of  flowers  generally  is  applicable  to  the 
Dahlia  in  its  diversity  of  form,  and  even  show  Dahlias, 
when  arranged  in  rather  large  vases  of  suitable  design,  are, 
contrary  to  the  general  opinion,  far  more  effective  than 
when  placed  on  a  sloping  board.  It  is  not  practicable  to 
exhibit  in  vases  blooms  of  such  large  dimensions  as  those 
staged  in  accordance  with  the  orthodox  method  ;  but  the 
charm  of  the  show  Dahlia  is  not  dependent  on  the  size  of 


io6     PRESENT-DAY    GARDENING 

the  individual  blooms.  We  have  on  several  occasions  seen 
them  exhibited  in  this  way,  and  have  frequently  used  them 
for  house  decoration  arranged  in  vases,  and  are  fully  per- 
suaded that  the  inclusion  of  a  few  classes  in  the  competitive 
section  would  be  helpful  in  obtaining  for  the  show  varieties 
the  attention  to  which  they  are  so  fully  entitled.  The 
cactus,  pompon,  single,  collerette,  paeony-flowered,  and 
decorative  varieties  certainly  present  the  most  attractive 
appearance  when  arranged  in  vases,  from  three  to  five 
blooms  in  each  ;  and  when  the  vases  are  provided  by  the 
society,  the  additional  expense  to  the  exhibitor  is  not  great. 

The  staging  of  cactus  varieties,  and  also  some  other 
sections,  in  triangular  wire  frames  is  undoubtedly  more 
convenient  to  exhibitors  than  exhibiting  them  in  vases 
without  some  such  support,  and  the  convenience  of  ex- 
hibitors must  not  be  overlooked.  With  the  aid  of  these 
frames,  the  blooms  can  be  arranged  at  home  on  the 
previous  evening,  or  early  in  the  morning  of  the  show  day, 
and  be  readily  packed  and  brought  to  the  place  of  ex- 
hibition. The  arrangement  of  a  considerable  proportion 
of  the  flowers  shown  before  leaving  home  lessens  the  work 
that  has  to  be  done  after  reaching  the  place  of  exhibition, 
and  thereby  enables  some  cultivators  to  show  more  largely 
than  would  otherwise  be  possible.  Unfortunately,  the  frames 
in  general  use  are  too  flat  and  formal  to  allow  of  artistic 
effects  in  the  arrangement  of  collections  ;  and  therefore, 
if  they  are  to  be  retained  in  the  interests  of  exhibitors,  an 
endeavour  should  be  made  to  effect  an  improvement  in 
their  design. 

A  considerable  advance  has  been  made  in  the  decora- 
tive side  of  Dahlia  shows  within  recent  years,  and  there 


ASSOCIATING    FOLIAGE        107 

is  no  doubt  that  this  improvement  will  continue  until  the 
decorations  form  a  really  important  feature.  Usually,  the 
exhibitors  in  the  classes  in  which  taste  in  arrangement 
is  the  chief  test  of  merit  are  allowed  to  associate  with  the 
Dahlias  any  foliage  they  may  consider  suitable.  There  is 
an  advantage  in  allowing  exhibitors  to  exercise  their  taste  in 
this  matter,  but  it  is  not  always  exercised  wisely.  In  most 
instances,  the  blooms  are  quite  satisfactory,  but  many  are 
so  crowded  by  grasses  and  other  foliage  as  to  lose  much  of 
their  beauty.  The  most  tasteful  effects,  whether  in  baskets, 
£pergnes,  or  vases,  are  produced  by  employing  blooms  of  one 
variety,  or  of  two  or  three  varieties  that  harmonise  in  colour, 
and  arranged  in  association  with  a  few  sprays  of  the  same 
kind  of  foliage.  For  example,  for  arranging  with  the 
various  shades  of  orange,  deep  red,  and  crimson,  a  few 
sprays  of  some  purple-leaved  shrub  or  tree,  as  Prunus 
Pissardii,  will  be  far  better  than  a  mixture  of  foliage  of 
diverse  forms  and  colours.  For  associating  with  some  of 
the  lighter  coloured  varieties,  a  few  sprays  of  Dahlia 
foliage  are  preferable  to  any  other  greenery,  but  the  sprays 
must  be  small,  and  obtained  from  plants  that  are  growing 
in  poor  soil,  because  the  foliage  of  plants  growing  in  rich 
soil  is  too  large  for  the  purpose,  too  dark  in  tint,  and  so 
soft  that  it  quickly  collapses  when  cut  from  the  plant.  It 
is  essential  in  the  competition  for  prizes  offered  for  baskets, 
epergnes,  and  vases  arranged  for  effect,  that  the  receptacles 
be  properly  dressed  on  all  sides,  and  not  "faced,"  under 
the  mistaken  belief  that  the  judges  only  look  at  the  side  of 
the  arrangements  next  to  them. 

In  the  selection  of  the  blooms  of  all  the  sections  for 
exhibition,  care  should  be  taken  to  see  that  they  are  as 


io8     PRESENT-DAY    GARDENING 

nearly  perfect  in  development  as  possible,  and  quite  free 
from  damage  from  the  depredations  of  earwigs  or  other 
cause.  They  should  also,  with  the  exception  of  the 
pompon,  pompon-cactus,  and  single  varieties,  be  as  large 
as  possible,  consistent  with  freedom  from  coarseness,  which 
is  a  serious  defect.  The  show,  fancy,  cactus,  pompon, 
paeony-flowered,  and  decorative  varieties  should  be  cut 
when  fully  developed,  but  before  the  back  florets  have 
lost  their  freshness.  In  the  case  of  the  single  and  col- 
lerette  varieties,  blooms  that  have  not  quite  reached  their 
full  development  should  be  selected,  as  these  will  retain 
their  freshness  after  being  cut  for  a  longer  period  than  will 
those  which  are  fully  open  at  the  time  of  cutting.  In  all 
cases  the  blooms  should  be  cut  quite  early  in  the  morning, 
before  the  rays  of  the  sun  have  reached  them  ;  or  late  in 
the  evening,  as  may  be  most  convenient ;  and  as  they  are 
cut  the  stalks  should  be  at  once  placed  in  water. 

In  staging  the  flowers,  it  is  important  to  so  arrange 
them  as  to  obtain  a  perfect  harmony  of  colour,  and,  when 
using  sloping  boards,  to  graduate  the  blooms  according 
to  their  sizes,  placing  the  larger  ones  at  the  back,  the  next 
size  in  the  middle  row,  and  the  smaller  specimens  in  the 
front.  Should  the  exhibitor  in  making  up  his  stand  find 
he  has  one  or  two  blooms  that  are  much  larger  than  the 
others,  he  must  carefully  consider  whether  it  is  desirable 
to  use  them,  because  of  the  risk  of  their  so  dwarfing  the 
others  as  to  convey  the  impression  that  they  are  of  really 
small  size.  Blooms  of  show,  fancy,  and  decorative  varieties 
are  usually  allowed  6  square  inches  superficial,  and  there- 
fore a  board  for  12  blooms  should  be  24  inches  long  by 
1 8  inches  wide  ;  and  a  board  for  18  blooms  should  be  36 


NAMES    OF    BLOOMS  109 

inches  long  by  18  inches  wide.  The  lengths  of  boards  for 
other  numbers  of  blooms  will  be  proportionate,  but  the 
width  will  remain  the  same,  as  the  blooms  are  invariably 
arranged  in  three  rows. 

In  all  cases  the  name  should  be  written  legibly  on  small 
cards,  and  so  fixed  that  the  visitors  will  have  no  difficulty 
in  reading  the  names,  and  there  will  be  no  risk  of  the 
displacement  of  the  cards.  Special  attention  may  well  be 
directed  to  the  naming  of  Dahlias  at  exhibitions,  for  in 
many  instances  it  is  far  from  satisfactory.  In  some  cases 
the  names  are  written  on  a  slip  of  paper  in  such  a  manner 
as  to  render  it  difficult  for  visitors  to  readily  ascertain  the 
names  of  the  varieties  represented.  This  difficulty  is  in- 
creased when  the  names  are  written  hurriedly  with  a  pencil 
and,  it  may  be,  some  measure  of  abbreviation  adopted. 


CHAPTER   XIII 
INSECT    ENEMIES 

DAHLIAS  are  so  far  wholly  free  from  bacterial  and  fungous 
diseases,  and  they  have  few  insect  enemies.  The  chief  of 
these  latter  are  earwigs  and  slugs,  and  these  pests  are  so 
destructive  that  when  repressive  measures  are  not  taken  at 
an  early  stage,  they  do  an  immense  amount  of  damage, 
the  slugs  to  the  young  plants,  and  the  earwigs  to  the 
flowers. 

The  slugs  commence  their  ravages  immediately  the 
succulent  shoots  are  produced  in  the  propagating  house  or 
frame  in  which  the  tubers  are  started  into  growth  for  the 
supply  of  cuttings,  and  continue  to  be  troublesome  until  the 
plants  are  established  in  their  summer  quarters.  Therefore 
a  careful  watch  should  be  kept  immediately  new  growth 
commences,  and  if  there  are  indications  of  the  presence  of 
slugs  in  the  house,  such  as  shoots  with  their  points  eaten  out, 
or  slime  here  and  there,  search  must  be  made  for  the 
marauders  until  they  are  discovered.  Unless  this  is  done, 
a  considerable  proportion  of  the  young  shoots  will  be 
rendered  worthless  for  propagating  purposes.  A  few  rather 
tender  cabbage  or  lettuce  leaves  laid  about  on  the  bed  occu- 
pied by  the  Dahlias  may  be  useful  as  traps. 

A  continuous  watch  must  be  kept  upon  the  plants 
during  the  time  they  are  occupying  pits  and  frames,  for  in 


SLUGS    AND    EARWIGS          in 

the  earliest  stages  slugs  are  apt  to  eat  out  the  growing  point, 
and  then  proceed  to  feed  upon  the  succulent  stems  of  the 
lower  leaves.  A  little  lime  scattered  between  the  pots  and 
over  the  surface  of  the  soil,  without  touching  the  leaves, 
will  be  useful  as  a  check.  But  when  it  is  seen  that  slugs 
have  made  their  way  into  the  frame,  the  best  course  is  to 
take  the  plants  out,  carefully  examining  the  pots  in  doing 
so.  Then  spread  an  inch  or  so  of  lime  over  the  surface  of 
the  bed,  and  replace  the  plants  in  their  original  positions. 
An  occasional  dusting  of  the  plants  and  the  surface  of  the 
pots  with  soot  will  act  as  a  deterrent.  The  chief  dependence 
must  be  placed  upon  diligent  search  for  keeping  Dahlias 
safe  from  slugs  and  snails,  and  it  need  hardly  be  said  that 
those  caught  should  be  at  once  destroyed  by  dropping  them 
into  strong  brine  or  some  other  mixture  equally  effectual. 

To  protect  the  plants  when  in  their  permanent  quarters 
from  the  ravages  of  slugs,  the  ground  immediately  around 
them  should  be  made  fine  and  quite  level,  so  that  no  hiding- 
place  for  the  pests  will  be  available.  These  surfaces  can  be 
dusted  with  lime  or  soot  from  time  to  time  as  may  be  con- 
sidered necessary.  A  few  lettuce  leaves  laid  about  on  the 
surface  will  be  useful  in  diverting  the  attention  of  the  slugs 
from  the  Dahlias  and  rendering  them  less  rapacious. 

Earwigs  confine  their  attention  to  the  flowers,  and  as 
they  commence  their  attacks  at  an  early  stage,  a  very  few 
bites  are  sufficient  to  render  a  bloom  worthless  for  ex- 
hibition purposes.  The  old-fashioned  method  of  catching 
earwigs  by  means  of  small  flowerpots  loosely  filled  with  dry 
moss,  and  inverted  on  the  top  of  the  stakes,  is  a  good  one 
in  the  case  of  Dahlias  grown  for  exhibition,  but  it  cannot 
be  recommended  for  those  grown  for  garden  decoration 


ii2     PRESENT-DAY    GARDENING 

because  of  the  unsightly  appearance  of  the  pots.  The 
damage  to  the  florets  is  not,  of  course,  of  so  much  import- 
ance in  the  latter  case  as  in  the  former,  but  wherever 
Dahlias  are  grown  an  effort  should  be  made  to  preserve  the 
flowers  from  earwigs.  Pots  3  or  5  inches  in  diameter  are 
the  most  suitable  for  traps.  The  pots  should  be  loosely 
filled  to  about  two-thirds  of  their  depth  with  moss,  and  be 
examined  at  short  intervals,  when  any  earwigs  that  may 
have  congregated  in  them  should  be  shaken  into  a  vessel 
containing  water.  Earwigs  may  also  be  caught  with  the 
aid  of  the  stems  of  broad  beans  and  bamboos  cut  into 
lengths  of  about  10  inches  and  deftly  arranged  among  the 
growths.  From  these  traps  they  can  be  readily  dislodged, 
and  dropped  into  water.  Such  traps  are  preferable  where 
there  is  an  objection  to  the  use  of  inverted  pots,  as  they 
can  be  so  placed  as  to  be  out  of  sight.  Earwigs  feed  at 
night,  and  with  the  aid  of  a  lamp  after  nightfall  many  may 
be  caught  and  destroyed.  If  they  are  plentiful,  a  nightly 
search  for  some  time  previous  to  the  exhibition  will  meet 
with  ample  reward.  Tufts  of  cotton  wool  fixed  round  the 
stems  immediately  below  the  blooms,  with  the  rough  ends 
projecting  downwards,  are  also  useful  in  preventing  insect 
pests  reaching  the  bloom  by  ascending  the  flower  stems. 

Green  and  black  fly  are  sometimes  troublesome,  es- 
pecially in  dry  seasons.  Overhead  waterings  are  the  best 
means  of  checking  these  troublesome  pests,  and  the  spray- 
ings are  conducive  to  the  health  of  the  plants.  A  weak  solu- 
tion of  one  of  the  nicotine  preparations  will  be  found  most 
effective  in  checking  these  and  other  pests  of  a  similar 
character,  but  after  the  period  of  flowering  has  commenced, 
plain  water  should  alone  be  used  for  the  purpose. 


INDEX 


APHIS,  black  and  green,  112 

BEDS  and  borders  of  garden  varieties, 

87 
Blooms,  staging  exhibition,  107,   108, 

109 
Buds,  thinning,  96,  98 

CACTUS  Dahlias — 

Development  of,  30 

Exhibition,  varieties  for,  35 

Flower  garden,  in  the,  34 

Garden  decoration,  varieties  for,  36 

Origin  and  introduction,  29 

Pompon  cactus,  33 

„         „        for  exhibition,  37 
„          „         for  the  garden,  37 
Collerette  Dahlias — 

Characteristics,  67 

Exhibition  and  garden  varieties,  68 

Origin  and  introduction,  66,  67 

Positions  in  garden,  68 

Soil  preparation,  68 
Cultivation — 

Buds,  thinning,  96 

Disbudding,  98 

Garden  varieties  in  beds,  87 

Lifting  roots,  102 

Liquid  manure,  97 

Manure,  use  of,  85 

Mulching,  98 

Planting,  88,  92 

Preparing  the  plants,  91 

Roots,  lifting  and  storing,  102 


Cultivation — 

Roots,  starting  into  growth,  73 

Shading  exhibition  blooms,  101 

Site  and  soil  for  exhibition  varieties, 
83 

Soil  preparation,  84 

Staking  the  plants,  94 

Storing  the  roots,  1 02 

Thinning  the  buds,  98 
„        the  growth,  96 

Watering,  97 
Cuttings,  preparing  and  rooting,  J6,  78 

DECORATIVB  Dahlias — 

Characteristics,  60 

Exhibition  and  garden  varieties,  64 
„  „  giant    varie- 

ties, 63 

Giant  section,  61 

Manuring  the  soil,  63 

Origin  and  introduction,  6l 

Suitable  positions,  63 
Disbudding,  98 

EARWIGS,  in 

Exhibitions  and  exhibiting,  104 

FANCY  Dahlias — 
Characteristics,  21 
Development  of,  21 
Exhibition  varieties,  27 
Garden  varieties,  28 

GARDEN  varieties  in  beds,  87 
«3  H 


INDEX 


HISTORY — 

Berg,  J.  T.  Van  der,  15,  30 

Botanical  Magazine,  9,  10 

Bounainte,  M.,  10 

Bute,  Marchioness  of,  8 

Cactus  Dahlia  introduced,  15 

Cannell,  Henry,  30 

Caranilles,  Abbe",  8 

Collerette  varieties,  origin,  16 

Copyn  &  Sons,  MM.,  16,  54 

Cullingford,  W.  H.,  15,  31 

Dahl,  Andre",  9 

Dahlia  Register,  20 

Decorative  varieties  reintroduced,  16 

Donckelaar,  M.,  19 

Exhibitions,  earlier,  II 

Fancy  Dahlias,  development  of,  12, 
21 

Fraser,  John,  9 

Girdlestone,  T.  W.,  44 

Haage,  M.,  10 

Hartig,  M.,  10 

Hernandez,  Francisco,  7 

Holland,  Lady,  10 

Hortus  Kewcnsis,  9 

Humboldt,  10 

Icones  et  Descriptiones  P/anfarum,  9 

Keynes,  John,  50 

Lelieur,  M.,  n,  21 

Low,  E.  J.,  44 

Mascardi,  Vitalis,  7 

Menonville,  N.  T.  de,  8 

Otto,  M.,  10 

Paeony-flowered  varieties,  16 

Pompon  section,  origin,  12 

Prices  of  new  varieties,  20 

Rivoire  &  Son,  16 

Royal  Horticultural  Society's  cata- 
logue, 20 

Show  varieties,  development,  10,  n, 
12,  19 

Show  varieties,  prices  of  new,  20 

Sims,  Dr.  John,  1 1 


History—- 
Single Dahlias,  reintroduction,  15 
Turner,  Charles,  50 
Vandes,  Comte  de,  II 
Vogel,  M.,  10 

INSECT  enemies — 

Aphis,  green  and  black,  112 

Earwigs,  in 

Slugs,  no 
Introduction,  I 

LIFTING  roots,  102 
Liquid  manure,  97 

MANURES,  use  of,  85 
Mulching,  98 

P^ONY-FLOWERED  Dahlias — 
Blooms,  cutting  the,  54 
Decorations,  suitability  for,  54 
Exhibition  and  garden  varieties,  59 
Moderate  manuring,  58 
Origin  and  introduction,  53 
Value  for  large  gardens,  57 

Planting,  88,  92 

Pompon  Dahlias — 
Characteristics,  49 
Development,  49 

Exhibition  and  garden  varieties,  52 
Recognition  as  florists'  flowers,  49 
Value  for  flower  garden,  50 

Preparing  the  plants,  92 

Propagation — 
Cuttings,  preparing  and  rooting,  75, 

78 

Division  of  roots,  72 
Methods  of  increase,  71 
Potting  off  young  plants,  79 
Propagating  house,  75 
Raising  seedlings,  79 
Roots,  starting  into  growth,  71 
When  to  commence,  77 


INDEX 


ROOTS,  lifting  and  storing,  102 
„      starting  into  growth,  71 

SEEDLINGS,  raising,  79 
Shading  exhibition  blooms,  101 
Show  Dahlias — 

Characteristics  of,  2 1 

Development  of,  19 

Exhibition  varieties,  23 

Garden  varieties,  28 

Prices  of  some  new  varieties,  20 
Shows  and  showing — 

Arranging  blooms  in  wire  frames,  1 06 

Baskets  and  vases,  107 

Blooms,  perfectly  developed,  essen- 
tial, 1 08 

Diversity  of  arrangement  desirable 
at  exhibitions,  105 

Foliage,  suitable,  107 

Names  to  be  legibly  written,  109 

Staging  on  boards,  108 
Single  Dahlias — 

Cactus  singles,  44 

„  „       for  garden,  38 

Characteristics,  44 

Cutting  the  flowers,  45 

Dwarf  singles,  44 

„        „        varieties  for  the  gar- 
den, 47 

Exhibition  varieties,  46 

Garden  culture,  45 
„      varieties,  47 

Raising  seedlings,  43,  46 


Single  Dahlias — 

Reintroduction,  39 

Site  and  soil  for  exhibition  varieties,  84 
Slugs,  in 
Soil  preparation,  85 
Staking  the  plants,  94 
Storing  the  roots,  102 

THINNING  the  buds,  96 
„         the  growth,  96 

VARIETIES,  select,  for  exhibition- 
Cactus,  35 

Collerette,  68 

Decorative,  63,  64 

Fancy,  27 

Pseony-flowered,  59 

Pompon,  52 

Pompon  cactus,  37 

Show,  23 

Singles,  46 

Varieties,  select,  for  garden  decoration- 
Cactus,  36 

Collerette,  68 

Decorative,  64,  65 

Fancy,  28 

Paeony-flowered,  59 

Pompon,  52 

Pompon  cactus,  37 

Show,  28 

Single,  47 

WATERING  Dahlias,  97 


Printed  by  BALLANTYNE,  HANSON  <&•  Co. 

Edinburgh  &•  London, 
12/12 


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